FROM  THE  LIBRARY  OF 


STEPHEN  D.  SZEGO 


s' 


I 


fSsKS# 


U.XMAI 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL 


IN 


YUCATAN. 


BY  JOHN  L.  STEPHENS, 

AUTHOR  OF  “INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL  IN  EGYPT,  ARABIA  PETRiEA,  AND  THE 
HOLY  LAND,”  “INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL  IN  CENTRAL  AMERICA,  CHIAPAS, 

AND  YUCATAN,”  ETC. 


ILLUSTRATED  BY  120  ENGRAVINGS. 


IN  TWO  VOLUMES. 

VOL.  I. 


NEW-YORK: 

HARPER  & BROTHERS,  82  CLIFF- STREET. 


1 84  3. 


Entered,  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1843,  by 
Harper  &l  Brothers, 

In  the  Clerk’s  Office  of  the  Southern  District  of  New-York* 


PREFACE. 


In  his  “ Incidents  of  Travel  in  Central  America, 
Chiapas,  and  Yucatan,”  the  author  intimated  his  in- 
tention to  make  a more  thorough  exploration  of  the 
ruins  of  the  latter  country.  That  intention  has 
since  been  carried  into  effect,  and  the  following 
pages  are  the  result.  They  describe,  as  the  au- 
thor has  reason  to  believe,  the  most  extensive  jour- 
ney ever  made  by  a stranger  in  that  peninsula, 
and  contain  the  account  of  visits  to  forty-four  min- 
ed cities,  or  places  in  which  remains  or  vestiges 
of  ancient  population  were  found.  The  existence 
of  most  of  these  ruins  was  entirely  unknown  to 
the  residents  of  the  capital ; — but  few  had  ever 
been  visited  by  white  inhabitants;  — they  were  des- 
olate, and  overgrown  with  trees.  For  a brief  space 
the  stillness  that  reigned  around  them  was  broken, 
and  they  were  again  left  to  solitude  and  silence. 
Time  and  the  elements  are  hastening  them  to  utter 
destruction.  In  a few  generations,  great  edifices, 


iv  PREFACE. 

their  facades  covered  with  sculptured  ornaments,  al- 
ready cracked  and  yawning,  must  fall,  and  become 
mere  shapeless  mounds.  It  has  been  the  fortune 
of  the  author  to  step  between  them  and  the  entire 
destruction  to  which  they  are  destined ; and  it  is  his 
hope  to  snatch  from  oblivion  these  perishing,  but 
still  gigantic  memorials  of  a mysterious  people. 
The  descriptions  are  accompanied  by  full  illustra- 
tions from  Daguerreotype  views  and  drawings  taken 
on  the  spot  by  Mr.  Catherwood,  and  the  engravings 
were  executed  under  his  personal  superintendence. 

* 


CONTENTS 


OF 

THE  FIRST  VOLUME. 


CHAPTER  I. 

Embarcation. — Fellow-passengers. — A Gale  at  Sea. — Arrival  at 
Sisal. — Ornithological  Specimens. — Merida. — Fete  of  San  Cris- 
to'val. — The  Lottery. — A Scene  of  Confusion. — Principle  of  the 
Game. — Passion  for  Gambling. — A deformed  Indian  . Page  9 

CHAPTER  II. 

Housekeeping. — Description  of  a Bull-ring. — A Bull-fight. — Spec- 
tators.— Brutal  Torments  inflicted  on  the  Bulls. — Serious  Acci- 
dents.— A noble  Beast. — An  exciting  Scene. — Victims  to  Bull- 
fighting.— Danger  and  Ferocity  of  Bull-fights. — Effects  on  moral 
Character. — Grand  Mass. — A grand  Procession. — The  Alameda. 
— Calesas. — A Concert,  and  its  Arrangements. — Fete  of  Todos 
Santos. — A singular  Custom. — An  Incident  . , .25 

CHAPTER  III. 

An  old  Friend. — Brief  Account  of  Yucatan. — Early  Voyages  of 
Discovery. — Columbus. — De  Solis  and  Pinzon. — Expedition  of 
Cordova. — Voyages  of  Grijalva. — Expedition  of  Cortez. — Mis- 
sion of  Montejo,  who  receives  a Grant  from  Charles  V. — Dis- 
coveries, Conquests,  and  Sufferings  of  Montejo  and  his  Com- 
panions.— Efforts  to  convert  the  Natives. — Contreras. — Farther 
Particulars  relating  to  the  Conquest  of  Yucatan  . . 47 

CHAPTER  IV. 

Political  State  of  Yucatan. — Alliance  with  Texas. — Presentation 
to  the  Governor. — His  Character  and  Personal  Appearance. — 
A Cordial  Reception. — An  Arrival  of  Strangers. — A Citizen  of 
the  World. — Another  old  Acquaintance. — Population  of  Meri- 
da.— Climate. — General  Aspect  of  Merida.-*-An  interesting  Ed- 


VI 


CONTENTS. 


ifice. — Mode  of  naming  Streets. — Sculptured  Figures. — Church- 
es.— Franciscan  Convent. — A Memorial  of  the  Past. — Ruined 
Cities  of  America. — Former  Conclusions  confirmed  Page  80 


CHAPTER  Y. 

Daguerreotype  Apparatus. — Setup  as  Ladies’  Daguerreotype  Por- 
trait Takers. — Preparations. — A pretty  young  Lady  to  begin 
with. — Preliminaries. — A Chapter  of  Contingencies. — Success 
of  the  first  Experiment. — Other  successful  Experiments. — A 
Change  of  Fortune. — Give  up  this  Business. — An  Incident. — 
Take  up  the  Practice  of  Surgery. — Operation  for  Strabismus. 
— Details. — First  Subject. — A great  Gathering  of  Squint  Eyes. 
— A troublesome  Patient. — A little  Hero. — Extraordinary  In- 
stance of  Fortitude. — A Military  Patient. — A Female  Patient. 
— Practice  of  Surgery  abandoned. — Instability  of  Fame  . 100 

CHAPTER  VI. 

Departure  from  Merida. — Map  of  Yucatan. — Timucui. — Tekoh. — 
Human  Skulls  and  Bones. — Church  of  Tekoh. — Convent  — jx 
revolting  Spectacle. — View  from  the  Top  of  the  Church. — Cura 
of  Tekoh. — Journey  continued. — A curious  Basin. — Telchaquil- 
lo. — A subterraneous  Well. — An  extraordinary  Cave. — Hacien- 
da of  Joaquin.  — Ruins  of  Mayapan. — A remarkable  Mound. — 
Curious  sculptured  Remains. — Another  extraordinary  Cave. — A 
circular  Edifice. — A double  Row  of  Columns. — Ranges  of 
Mounds. — Arches. — Derivation  of  the  Word  Yucatan. — Ancient 
City  of  Mayapan 119 

CHAPTER  VII. 

An  Accident. — Journey  continued. — Hacienda  of  Xcanchakan. — 
An  Indian  Dance. — Whipping  an  Indian. — Hacienda  of  Mucuy- 
ch6. — A Bath  in  a Senote. — Hacienda  of  San  Jose. — Arrival  at 
Uxmal. — First  Sight  of  the  Ruins. — Changes  since  last  Visit. — 
House  of  the  Dwarf. — House  of  the  Nuns. — Casa  del  Goberna- 
dor. — Residence  at  the  Ruins. — Unpromising  Appearances.  — 
How  to  make  a Fire. — Instance  of  Perseverance. — Arrival  of 
Luggage  on  the  Backs  of  Indians. — First  Night  at  Uxmal  . 142 


CONTENTS. 


VU 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

Perplexities. — Household  Wants. — Indian  Mode  of  boiling  Eggs. 
— Clearings. — A valuable  Addition. — Description  of  the  Ruins. 
— Casa  del  Gobernador. — Hieroglyphics. — Ornaments  over  the 
Doorways.  — Ground  Plan. — Doorways. — Apartments. — Great 
Thickness  of  the  back  Wall. — A Breach  made  in  the  Wall. — 
Prints  of  a Red  Hand. — Sculptured  Beam  of  Hieroglyphics. — 
Wooden  Lintels. — Loss  of  Antiquities  by  the  Burning  of  Mr. 
Catherwood’s  Panorama. — Terraces. — A curious  Stone. — Cir- 
cular Mound. — Discovery  of  a Sculptured  Monument. — Square 
Stone  Structure. — Sculptured  Heads.  — Staircase. — House  of 
the  Turtles Page  161 

CHAPTER  IX. 

Journey  to  Jalacho. — Execrable  Road. — Sight  of  Ruins  at  Sen- 
uisacal. — A motley  Multitude. — Village  of  Becal. — The  Cura. 
— Breakfast. — Ruins. — Arrival  at  Jalacho. — A great  Fair. — 
F6te  of  Santiago. — Miracles. — Figure  of  St.  James. — Bull-fight 
and  Bull-fighters. — Horse-market. — Scenes  in  the  Plaza. — Gam- 
bling.— Primitive  Circulating  Medium. — A Memorial  of  Home. 
— A Ball. — Search  for  Ruins. — Hacienda  of  Sijoh. — Mounds  of 
Ruins. — Remarkable  Stones. — A long  Edifice. — Hacienda  of 
Tankuche. — More  Ruins. — A plastered  W'all  covered  with 
Paintings. — Annoyance  from  Garrapatas. — Return  to  the  Vil- 
lage.— Ball. — Fireworks. — Condition  of  the  Indians  . 187 


CHAPTER  X. 

Sunday. — Mass. — A grand  Procession. — Intoxicated  Indians. — Set 
out  for  Maxcanu. — A Caricoche. — Scenery. — Arrival  at  Maxca- 
nu.— Cave  of  Maxcanu. — Threading  a Labyrinth. — An  Alarm. — 
An  abrupt  Termination. — Important  Discovery. — Labyrinth  not 
subterraneous. — More  Mounds.  — Journey  continued. — Grand 
View. — Another  Mound. — An  Accident. — Village  of  Opoche- 
que. — View  from  the  Sierra. — More  Ruins. — Return  to  Uxmal. 
— Change  of  Quarters. — An  Addition  to  the  Household. — Beau- 
tiful Scene 203 


via 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  XI. 

Superintending  Indians. — The  Storm  El  Norte. — Arrival  of  Don 
Simon. — Subterraneous  Chambers. — Discovery  of  broken  Pot- 
tery and  a Terra  Cotta  Vase. — Great  Number  of  these  Cham- 
bers.— Their  probable  Uses. — Harvest  of  the  Maize  Crop. — 
Practical  Views. — System  of  Agriculture  in  Yucatan. — Planting 
of  Corn. — A primitive  Threshing  Machine. — News  from  Home. 
— More  Practice  in  Surgery. — A rude  Bedstead. — A Leg  Pa- 
tient.— An  Arm  Patient. — Increasing  Sickness  on  the  Hacien- 
da.— Death  of  an  Indian  Woman. — A Campo  Santo. — Digging 
a Grave. — An  Indian  Funeral  . . . . Page  225 


CHAPTER  XII. 

Means  by  which  the  City  was  supplied  with  Water. — Aguadas. — 
A delightful  Bathing-place.  — Mariner  of  Living  at  the  Ruins. 
— Howto  roast  a Pig. — Nameless  Mound. — Excavations  made 
in  it. — Great  Exertions. — A bitter  Disappointment. — An  Attack 
of  Fever. — Visit  from  the  Cura  of  Ticul. — Departure  for  Ticul. 
— A painful  Journey. — Arrival  at  the  Convent. — Arrival  of  Dr. 
Cabot,  ill  with  Fever. — Gloomy  Prospects. — A simple  Remedy 
for  Fever. — Aspect  of  Ticul.  — The  Church. — Funeral  Urn.  — 
Monument  and  Inscription. — Convent. — Character  of  the  Cura 
Carillo. — The  Date  of  the  Construction  of  the  Convent  un- 
known. — Probably  built  with  the  Materials  furnished  by  the 
Ruins  of  former  Cities. — Archives  of  the  Convent  . . 248 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

Another  ruined  City. — Relics. — Ruins  of  San  Francisco. — Proved 
to  be  those  of  the  Aboriginal  City  of  the  name  Ticul. — A beau- 
tiful Vase. — Search  for  a Sepulchre. — Discovery  of  a Skeleton 
and  Vase. — An  Indian  Needle.: — These  Cities  not  built  by  De- 
scendants of  Egyptians. — Their  Antiquity  not  very  great. — Ex- 
amination of  the  Skeleton  by  Doctor  Morton,  and  his  Opinion. 
— Mummies  from  Peru. — These  Cities  built  by  the  Ancestors 
of  the  present  Race  of  Indians. — The  Seybo  Tree. — The  Campo 
Santo. — A quiet  Village 271 


CONTENTS. 


IX 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

Departure  from  Ticul. — The  Sierra.— Nohcacab. — Ruins  of  Noh- 
pat. — Return  to  Uxmal. — The  Campo  Santo. — Work  of  Mr.  Wal- 
deck. — General  Description  of  the  Ruins. — Two  ruined  Edifices. 
— Great  Stone  Rings. — House  of  the  Nuns. — Dimensions,  &c.— 
— Courtyard. — Facades. — A lofty  Edifice. — Complicated  Orna- 
ment.— Painted  Facades. — Sculptured  Doorways. — House  of 
the  Birds. — Remains  of  Painting. — An  Arch. — House  of  the 
Dwarf. — Building  loaded  with  Ornaments. — Long  and  narrow 
Structure. — Tasteful  Arrangement  of  Ornaments. — Human  Sac- 
rifices.— House  of  the  Pigeons. — Range  of  Terraces  called  the 
Campo  Santo. — House,  of  the  Old  Woman. — Circular  Mound 
of  Ruins. — Wall  of  the  City. — Close  of  Description. — Title  Pa- 
pers of  Uxmal. — Of  the  Antiquity  of  Uxmal  . . Page  289 

CHAPTER  XV. 

Attacks  from  Fever  and  Ague. — Final  Departure  from  Uxmal. — 
Newyear’s  Day.  — Fate  of  Chaipa  Chi.  — Painful  Journey.  — 
Chetulish. — Arrival  at  Nohcacab. — Concourse  of  Indians. — A 
Casa  Real. — Plaza. — Improvements. — The  Church. — A Noria, 
or  Well. — Municipal  Elections. — The  Democratic  Principle. — 
Installation  of  Alcaldes. — Illness  of  the  Cura  of  Ticul. — Set  out 
for  Ticul. — Intoxicated  Carriers. — Accident. — Arrival  at  Ticul. 
— A wandering  Physician. — Changed  Appearance  of  the  Cura. 
— Return  to  Nohcacab. — Take  up  Quarters  in  the  Convent.  — 
Ancient  Town  of  Nohcacab. — Ruined  Mounds. — Ruins  of  Xcoch. 
— A Mysterious  Well. — Fine  Grove. — Circular  Cavity. — Mouth 
of  the  Well. — Exploration  of  its  Passages. — Uses  of  the  Well. 
— Return  to  the  Village. — Fatal  Accident. — A House  of  Mourn- 
ing.— Ceremony  of  El  Velorio 326 

CHAPTER  XVI. 

Ruins  of  Nohpat. — A lofty  Mound. — Grand  View. — Sculptured 
Human  Figure. — Terraces. — Huge  sculptured  Figure. — Other 
Figures. — Skull  and  Cross-bones. — Situation  of  Ruins. — Jour- 
ney to  Kabah. — Thatched  Huts. — Arrival  at  the  Ruins. — Return 
to  the  Village. — Astonishment  of  the  Indians. — Valuable  Ser- 
vant.— Festival  of  Corpus  Alma. — A plurality  of  Saints. — How 
to  put  a Saint  under  Patronage. — A Procession. — Fireworks. — 
A Ball. — Excess  of  Female  Population. — A Dance  . , 364 


X 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

Ruins  of  Kabah.  — General  Description.  — Plan  of  the  Ruins. — 
Great  Teocalis. — Ruined  Apartments. — Grand  View. — Terrace 
and  Buildings. — Ranges  of  Buildings. — Hieroglyphics. — A rich 
Fa9ade. — Wooden  Lintels. — Singular  Structures. — Apartments, 
&c. — Rankness  of  Tropical  Vegetation. — Edifice  called  the  Co- 
cina. — Majestic  pile  of  Buildings.  — Apartments,  &c. — A soli- 
tary Arch. — A Succession  of  ruined  Buildings.  — Apartments, 
&c. — Prints  of  the  Red  Hand.  — Sculptured  Lintel.  — Instru- 
ments used  by  the  Aboriginals  for  Carving  Wood.  — Ruined 
Structure. — Ornament  in  Stucco. — Great  ruined  Building. — Cu- 
rious Chamber,  &c. — Sculptured  Jambs. — Another  Witness  for 
these  ruined  Cities. — Last  Visit  to  Kabah. — Its  recent  Discov- 
ery.— A great  Charnel  House. — Funeral  Procession. — A Ball  by 
Daylight. — The  Procession  of  the  Candles. — Closing  Scene 

Page  382 


ENGRAVINGS.  VOL.  I. 


1.  Frontispiece. 

2.  A ruined  Mound  ..... 

• 

• 

Page. 

. 132 

3.  Sculptured  Figures  .... 

• 

• 

. 134 

4.  Circular  Edifice 

• 

• 

. 136 

5.  Hacienda  of  Xcanchakan 

. 143 

6.  Gateway  at  Mucuyche  .... 

. 147 

7.  A Senote 

. 149 

8.  Plan  of  Uxmal 

. 165 

9.  Ornament  over  a Doorway  . 

. 168 

10.  Ornament  called  the  Elephant’s  Trunk 

. 170 

11.  Elephant’s  Trunk  in  Profile  . 

. 171 

12.  Southern  End  of  Casa  del  Gobernador  . 

. 174 

13.  Ground  Plan  of  Casa  del  Gobernador  . 

. 175 

14.  Double-headed  Lynx  .... 

. 183 

15.  House  of  the  Turtles  .... 

. 184 

16.  Aguada  at  Uxmal  .... 

. 249 

17.  Ticul  Vase 

. 275 

18.  SeyboTree  . . . . : . 

. 286 

19.  Plan  of  the  Monjas  .... 

. 301 

20.  Part  of  the  Facade  of  the  Monjas  . 

. 302 

21.  Entwined  Serpents  over  a Doorway 

. 303 

22.  View  from  the  Nuns  . 

23.  East  Side  of  the  Courtyard  of  the  Monjas 

. 306 

24.  Southeast  Corner  of  the  Monjas  . 

. 307 

25.  Interior  of  an  Apartment 

. 309 

26.  House  of  the  Birds  .... 

. 311 

27.  West  Front  of  the  House  of  the  Dwarf 

. 312 

28.  East  Front  of  the  House  of  the  Dwarf  . 

. 316 

29.  Front  of  the  Casa  de  Palamos 

. 318 

30.  A Noria,  or  Well 

. 334 

31.  Mound  at  Xcoch 

. 350 

32.  Mound  at  Nohpat 

. 362 

33.  Colossal  Stone  Figure  .... 

. 364 

34.  Sculptured  Stone  Figure 

. 366 

Xll 


ENGRAVINGS. 


35.  Skull  and  Crossbones  . 

Page. 

36.  Street  in  the  Village  of  Nohcacab  . 

. 369 

37.  Plan  of  Kabah  .... 

. 385 

38.  Building  (Casa  No.  1)  . 

. .387 

39.  Portion  of  a richly-sculptured  Fagade 

. 388 

40.  Interior  of  an  Apartment 

. 391 

41.  Rankness  of  Tropical  Vegetation  . 

. 393 

42.  Building  (Casa  No.  2)  . 

. 397 

43.  Building  (Casa  No.  3)  . 

. 398 

44.  Triumphal  Arch  .... 

. 400 

45.  Carved  Wooden  Beam  . 

. 405 

46.  Stucco  Ornament .... 

. 410 

47.  Sculptured  Stone  Jamb 

. 412 

48.  Sculptured  Stone  Jamb 

. 412 

49.  Charnel  House  and  Convent . 

. 416 

50.  Skull 

. 418 

51.  Triangular  Arch  .... 

. 430 

52.  Gothic  Arch  .... 

. 432 

53.  Cyclopean  Arch  .... 

. 432 

54.  Arch  used  by  the  ancient  American  Builders 

. 433 

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• INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL 


IN 

YUCATAN. 


CHAPTER  I. 

Embarcation. — Fellow-passengers. — A Gale  at  Sea. — Arrival  at 
Sisal. — Ornithological  Specimens. — Merida. — F6te  of  San  Cris- 
toval. — The  Lottery. — A Scene  of  Confusion. — Principle  of  the 
Game. — Passion  for  Gambling. — A deformed  Indian. 

The  reader  of  my  “ Incidents  of  Travel  in  Cen- 
tral America,  Chiapas,  and  Yucatan,”  may  remem- 
ber that  the  researches  of  Mr.  Catherwood  and  my- 
self in  the  last-mentioned  country  were  abruptly 
terminated  by  the  illness  of  the  former.  During  our 
short  sojourn  in  Yucatan,  we  received  vague,  but,  at 
the  same  time,  reliable  intelligence  of  the  existence 
of  numerous  and  extensive  cities,  desolate  and  in 
ruins,  which  induced  us  to  believe  that  the  country 
presented  a greater  field  for  antiquarian  research 
and  discoveries  than  any  we  had  yet  visited.  Un- 
der these  circumstances,  it  was  a severe  hardship 
that  we  were  compelled  to  leave  it,  and  our  onty 
consolation  in  doing  so  was  the  hope  of  being  able 
to  return,  prepared  to  make  a thorough  exploration 
of  this  unknown  and  mysterious  region.  In  about 
a year  we  found  ourselves  in  a condition  to  do  so ; 
and  on  Monday,  the  ninth  of  October,  we  put  to 


10 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


sea  on  board  the  bark  Tennessee,  Scholefield  mas- 
ter, for  Sisal,  the  port  from  which  we  had  sailed  on 
our  return  to  the  United  States. 

The  Tennessee  was  a down-Easter  of  two  hun- 
dred and  sixty  tons  burden,  turned  out  apparently 
from  one  of  those  great  factories  where  ships  are 
built  by  the  mile  and  chopped  off  to  order,  but  stout, 
strong,  well  manned  and  equipped. 

Her  cargo  was  assorted  for  the  Yucatan  market, 
and  consisted  of  a heavy  stratum  of  iron  at  the  bot- 
tom ; midway  were  miscellanies,  among  which  were 
cotton,  muskets,  and  two  hundred  barrels  of  turpen- 
tine ; and  on  top,  within  reach  of  the  hatches,  were 
six  hundred  kegs  of  gunpowder. 

We  had  a valuable  addition  to  our  party  in  Dr. 
Cabot,  of  Boston,  who  accompanied  us  as  an  ama- 
teur, particularly  as  an  ornithologist.  Besides  him, 
our  only  fellow-passenger  was  Mr.  Camerden,  who 
went  out  as  supercargo. 

The  first  morning  out  we  woke  with  an  extraor- 
dinary odour  of  turpentine,  giving  us  apprehensions 
that  a barrel  had  sprung  a leak,  which,  by  means  of 
the  cotton,  might  use  up  our  gunpowder  before  it 
came  to  the  hands  of  its  consignee.  This  odour, 
however,  was  traced  to  a marking-pot,  which  quiet- 
ed our  apprehensions. 

On  the  evening  of  the  fourth  day  we  had  a severe 
thunder-storm.  This  was  an  old  acquaintance  of 
ours  in  the  tropics,  but  one  which  at  that  time  we 
were  not  disposed  to  welcome  very  cordially.  Peals 


THE  VOYAGE. A GALE  AT  SEA.  11 

of  thunder  broke  and  crashed  close  over  our  heads, 
lightning  flashed  across  the  dark  vault  of  the  heav- 
ens, lighting  up  the  surface  of  the  water,  and  making 
fearfully  visible  our  little  vessel,  tossing  and  pitching, 
a mere  speck  in  immensity ; and  at  times  an  angry  ray 
darted  toward  the  horizon,  as  if  expressly  to  ignite 
our  gunpowder.  We  discussed,  though  rather  dis- 
jointedly,  the  doctrine  of  conductors  and  non-con- 
ductors, and  advised  the  captain  to  put  a few  links 
of  a chain  cable  round  the  mainmast,  and  carry  the 
end  of  it  over  the  side.  We  had  some  consolation  in 
thinking  that  six  hundred  kegs  were  no  worse  than 
sixty,  and  that  six  would  do  our  business ; but,  in 
fact,  at  the  moment,  we  were  very  much  of  opinion 
that  lightning  and  gunpowder  were  the  only  dan- 
gers of  the  sea.  The  night,  however,  wore  through, 
and  morning  brought  with  it  the  usual,  and,  unhap- 
pily, almost  the  only  change  in  those  who  go  down 
to  the  sea  in  ships — forgetfulness  of  past  danger. 

On  the  evening  of  the  seventeenth  we  passed,  with 
a gentle  breeze,  the  narrow  passage  known  as  the 
Hole  in  the  Wall,  and  before  morning  we  were  ly- 
ing broadside  to  the  wind,  and  almost  flying  before 
it.  The  gale  was  terrific  ; nothing  could  stand  up- 
right to  windward,  and  the  sea  was  portentous. 
The  captain  sat  under  the  quarter  rail,  watching 
the  compass,  and  turning  anxiously  to  the  misty 
quarter  of  the  heavens  from  which  the  winds  seem- 
ed let  loose.  At  breakfast  large  drops  of  sweat 
stood  on  his  forehead ; and  though  at  first  unwilling 


12 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


to  admit  it  even  to  himself,  we  discovered  that  we 
were  really  in  danger.  We  wTere  driving,  as  fast  as 
the  wind  could  send  us,  upon  the  range  of  sunken 
rocks  known  as  Abaco  reef.  Directly  under  our  lee 
was  the  worst  part  of  the  whole  reef,  marked  on  the 
chart  “ Dangerous  rocky  shore.”  Unless  the  gale 
abated  or  the  wind  hauled,  in  eight  or  ten  hours  we 
must  strike.  I must  confess  I saw  but  little  hope  of 
a change,  and  this  rocky  reef  was  but  a few  feet  un- 
der water,  and  twenty  miles  distant  from  terra  firma. 
If  the  vessel  struck,  she  must  go  to  pieces ; nothing 
made  by  man’s  hands  could  stand  against  the  fury 
of  the  sea,  and  every  moment  we  were  nearer  de- 
struction. We  sat  with  the  chart  before  us,  look- 
ing at  it  as  a sentenced  convict  might  look  at  an 
advertisement  of  the  time  fixed  for  his  execution. 
The  sunken  rocks  seemed  to  stand  out  horribly  on 
the  paper;  and  though  every  glance  at  the  sea  told 
us  that  with  daylight  no  human  strength  could  pre- 
vail against  it,  it  added  to  our  uncomfortable  feel- 
ings to  know  that  it  wrould  be  nearly  night  when 
the  crisis  arrived.  We  had  but  one  consolation — 
there  were  no  women  or  children  oil  board.  All 
were  able-bodied  men,  capable  of  doing  all  that  men 
could  do  in  a struggle  for  life.  But,  fortunately  for 
the  reader  of  these  pages,  to  say  nothing  of  the  re- 
lief to  ourselves,  at  one  o’clock  the  wind  veered  ; 
we  got  on  a little  canvass ; the  good  ship  struggled 
for  her  life  ; by  degrees  she  turned  her  back  upon 
danger,  and  at  night  we  were  again  on  our  way  re- 
joicing. 


ARRIVAL  AT  SISAL. 


13 


On  the  twenty-seventh  we  furled  sails  off  the  port 
of  Sisal.  Five  vessels  were  at  anchor,  an  extraor- 
dinary circumstance  for  Sisal,  and  fortunate  for  us, 
because  otherwise,  as  our  captain  had  never  been 
there  before,  though  carefully  looking  for  it,  we 
might  not  have  been  able  to  find  it.  Our  anchorage 
ground  was  on  the  open  coast,  two  or  three  miles 
from  land,  at  which  distance  it  was  necessary  to 
keep,  lest  we  should  be  driven  ashore  in  case  of  a 
norther.  Captain  Scholefield,  in  fact,  before  he  had 
discharged  his  cargo,  was  obliged  to  slip  his  cables 
and  put  to  sea,  and  did  not  get  back  to  his  anchor- 
age ground  in  nine  days. 

It  was  only  four  o’clock  in  the  afternoon,  but,  by 
the  regulations  of  the  port,  no  passenger  could  land 
until  the  vessel  had  been  visited  by  the  health  and 
custom-house  officers.  We  looked  out  till  dark,  and 
long  after  the  moon  rose,  but  no  notice  whatever 
was  taken  of  us,  and,  with  no  very  amiable  feelings 
toward  the  lazy  officials,  we  turned  in  again  on 
board. 

In  the  morning,  when  we  went  on  deck,  we  saw 
anchored  under  our  stern  the  brig  Lucinda,  in  which 
we  had  thought  of  taking  passage ; she  had  sailed 
from  New-York  four  days  after  we  did,  and  arrived 
during  the  night. 

Very  soon  we  saw  coming  off  toward  us  the  sep- 
arate canoas  of  the  health  and  custom-house  offi- 
cers. We  were  boarded  by  a very  little  man  with 
a very  big  mustache,  who  was  seasick  before  he 

2 


14 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


mounted  the  deck,  and  in  a few  minutes  betook  him- 
self to  a berth.  The  preliminaries,  however,  were 
soon  settled,  and  we  went  ashore.  All  disposition 
we  might  have  had  to  complain  the  night  before 
ceased  on  landing.  Our  former  visit  was  not  for- 
gotten. The  account  of  it  had  been  translated  and 
published,  and,  as  soon  as  the  object  of  our  return 
was  known,  every  facility  was  given  us,  and  all  our 
trunks,  boxes,  and  multifarious  luggage  were  passed 
without  examination  by  the  custom-house  officers. 

The  little  town  of  Sisal  had  not  increased  either 
in  houses  or  inhabitants,  and  did  not  present  any 
additional  inducements  to  remain  in  it.  The  same 
afternoon  we  sent  off  our  luggage  in  a carreta  for 
Merida,  and  the  next  morning  started  in  calezas 
ourselves. 

From  the  suburbs  of  the  town  the  plain  was  in- 
undated, and  for  more  than  a mile  our  horses  were 
above  their  knees  in  water.  When  we  passed  be- 
fore, this  ground  was  dry,  parched,  and  cracking 
open.  It  was  now  the  last  of  the  rainy  season,  and 
the  great  body  of  water,  without  any  stream  by 
which  to  pass  off,  was  drying  up  under  a scorching 
sun,  to  leave  the  earth  infected  with  malaria. 

We  had  arrived  in  the  fulness  of  tropical  vegeta- 
tion ; the  stunted  trees  along  the  road  were  in  their 
deepest  green,  and  Dr.  Cabot  opened  to  us  a new 
source  of  interest  and  beauty.  In  order  to  begin 
business  at  once,  he  rode  in  the  first  caleza  alone, 
and  before  he  had  gone  far,  we  saw  the  barrel  of  his 


MERIDA. 


15 


gun  protrude  on  one  side,  and  a bird  fall.  He  had 
seen  at  Sisal,  egretes,  pelicans,  and  ducks  which 
were  rare  in  collections  at  home,  and  an  oscillated 
wild  turkey,  which  alone  he  thought  worth  the  voy- 
age to  that  place  ; and  now,  our  attention  being  par- 
ticularly directed  to  the  subject,  in  some  places  the 
shrubs  and  bushes  seemed  brilliant  with  the  plumage 
and  vocal  with  the  notes  of  birds.  On  the  road  he 
saw  four  different  species  which  are  entirely  un- 
known in  the  United  States,  and  six  others  which 
are  found  only  in  Louisiana  and  Florida,  of  most  of 
which  he  procured  specimens. 

We  stopped  at  Huncuma  during  the  heat  of  the 
day ; at  dark  reached  Merida,  and  once  more  rode 
up  to  the  house  of  Dona  Micaela.  Coming  di- 
rectly from  home,  we  were  not  so  much  excited  as 
when  we  reached  it  after  a toilsome  and  comfortless 
journey  in  Central  America ; but  even  now  it  would 
ill  become  me  to  depreciate  it,  for  the  donna  had 
read  the  account  of  my  former  visit  to  Merida,  and 
she  said,  with  an  emphasis  that  covered  all  the  rest, 
that  the  dates  of  arrival  and  departure  as  therein 
mentioned  corresponded  exactly  with  the  entries  in 
her  book. 

We  had  arrived  at  Merida  at  an  opportune  mo- 
ment. As  on  the  occasion  of  our  first  visit,  it  was 
again  a season  of  fiesta.  The  fete  of  San  Cristoval, 
an  observance  of  nine  days,  was  then  drawing  to 
its  close,  and  that  evening  a grand  function  was  to 
be  performed  in  the  church  dedicated  to  that  saint. 


16 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


We  had  no  time  to  lose,  and,  after  a hasty  supper, 
under  the  guidance  of  an  Indian  lad  belonging  to 
the  house,  we  set  out  for  the  church.  Very  soon 
we  were  in  the  main  street  leading  to  it,  along  which, 
as  it  seemed,  the  whole  population  of  Merida  was 
moving  to  the  fete.  In  every  house  a lantern  hung 
from  the  balconied  windows,  or  a long  candle  stood 
under  a glass  shade,  to  light  them  on  their  way. 
At  the  head  of  the  street  was  a large  plaza,  on  one 
side  of  which  stood  the  church,  with  its  great  front 
brilliantly  illuminated,  and  on  the  platform  and  steps, 
and  all  the  open  square  before  it,  was  a great  mo- 
ving mass  of  men,  women,  and  children,  mostly  In- 
dians, dressed  in  white. 

We  worked  our  way  up  to  the  door,  and  found 
the  church  within  a blaze  of  light.  Two  rows  of 
high  candlesticks,  with  wax  candles  eight  or  ten  feet 
high,  extended  the  whole  length  from  the  door  to 
the  altar.  On  each  side  hung  innumerable  lamps, 
dotting  the  whole  space  from  the  floor  to  the  ceil- 
ing ; and  back  at  the  extreme  end,  standing  on  an 
elevated  platform,  was  an  altar  thirty  feet  high,  rich 
with  silver  ornaments  and  vases  of  flowers,  and 
hung  with  innumerable  lamps  brilliantly  burning. 
Priests  in  glittering  vestments  were  officiating  be- 
fore it,  music  was  swelling  through  the  corridor  and 
arches,  and  the  floor  of  the  immense  church  was 
covered  with  women  on  their  knees,  dressed  in 
white,  with  white  shawls  over  their  heads.  Through 
the  entire  body  of  the  church  not  a man  was  to  be 


A FESTIVAL  OF  THE  CHURCH. 


17 


seen.  Near  us  was  a bevy  of  young  girls,  beauti- 
fully dressed,  with  dark  eyes,  and  their  hair  adorned 
with  flowers,  sustaining,  though  I was  now  a year 
older  and  colder,  my  previous  impressions  of  the 
beauty  of  the  ladies  of  Merida. 

The  chant  died  away,  and  as  the  women  rose 
from  their  knees,  their  appearance  was  like  the  lift- 
ing of  a white  cloud,  or  spirits  of  air  rising  to  a 
purer  world ; but,  as  they  turned  toward  the  door, 
the  horizon  became  dusky  with  Indian  faces,  and 
half  way  up  a spot  rose  above  the  rest,  black  as  a 
thunder-cloud.  The  whole  front  ranks  were  In- 
dians, except  a towering  African,  whose  face,  in  the 
cloud  of  white  around,  shone  like  the  last  touch  of 
Day  and  Martin’s  best. 

We  waited  till  the  last  passed  out,  and,  leaving 
the  empty  church  blazing  with  light,  with  rockets, 
fireworks,  drums,  and  violins  all  working  away  to- 
gether on  the  steps,  we  followed  the  crowd. 

Turning  along  the  left  side  of  the  plaza,  we  en- 
tered an  illuminated  street,  at  the  foot  of  which,  and 
across  it,  hung  a gigantic  cross,  also  brilliantly  illu- 
minated, and  apparently  stopping  the  way.  Coming 
as  we  did  directly  from  the  church,  it  seemed  to 
have  some  immediate  connexion  with  the  ceremo- 
nies we  had  just  beheld  ; but  the  crowd  stopped  short 
of  the  cross,  opposite  a large  house,  also  brilliantly 
illuminated.  The  door  of  this  house,  like  that  of 
the  church,  was  open  to  all  who  chose  to  enter,  or 
rather,  at  that  moment,  to  all  who  could  force  their 
Yol.  I.— C 


18 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


way  through.  W aiting  the  motion  of  the  mass  be- 
fore us,  and  pressed  by  those  behind,  slowly,  and 
with  great  labour,  we  worked  our  way  into  the  sala. 
This  was  a large  room  extending  along  the  whole 
front  of  the  house,  hot  to  suffocation,  and  crowded, 
or  rather  jammed,  with  men  and  women,  or  gentle- 
men and  ladies,  or  by  whatever  other  names  they 
may  be  pleased  to  be  called,  clamorous  and  noisy  as 
Bedlam  let  loose.  For  some  time  it  was  impossible 
for  us  to  form  any  idea  of  what  was  going  on.  By 
degrees  we  were  carried  lengthwise  through  the 
sala,  at  every  step  getting  elbowed,  stamped  upon, 
and  occasionally  the  rim  of  a straw  hat  across  the 
nose,  or  the  puff  of  a paper  cigar  in  the  eyes.  Very 
soon  our  faces  were  trickling  with  tears,  which 
there  was  no  friendly  hand  to  wipe  away,  our  own 
being  pinned  down  to  our  sides. 

On  each  side  of  the  sala  was  a rude  table,  occu- 
pying its  whole  length,  made  of  two  rough  boards, 
and  supporting  candles  stuck  in  little  tin  receivers, 
about  two  feet  apart.  Along  the  tables  were  benches 
of  the  same  rough  materials,  with  men  and  women, 
whites,  Mestizoes,  and  Indians,  all  sitting  together, 
as  close  as  the  solidity  and  resistance  of  human 
flesh  would  permit,  and  seemingly  closer  than  was 
sufferable.  Every  person  at  the  table  had  before  him 
or  her  a paper  about  a foot  square,  covered  with 
figures  in  rows,  and  a small  pile  of  grains  of  corn, 
and  by  its  side  a thumping  stick  some  eighteen 
inches  long,  and  one  in  diameter ; while,  amid  all 


A MODERN  BABEL. 


19 


the  noise,  hubbub,  and  confusion,  the  eyes  of  all  at 
the  tables  were  bent  constantly  upon  the  papers  be- 
fore them.  In  that  hot  place,  they  seemed  like  a 
host  of  necromancers  and  witches,  some  of  the  lat- 
ter young  and  extremely  pretty,  practising  the  black 
art. 

By  degrees  we  were  passed  out  into  the  corridor, 
and  here  we  were  brought  to  a dead  stand.  Within 
arm’s  length  was  an  imp  of  a boy,  apparently  the 
ringleader  in  this  nocturnal  orgy,  who  stood  on  a 
platform,  rattling  a bag  of  balls,  and  whose  uninter- 
mitted screeching,  singsong  cries  had  throughout 
risen  shrill  and  distinct  above  every  other  sound. 
At  that  moment  the  noise  and  uproar  were  carried 
to  the  highest.  The  whole  house  seemed  rising 
against  the  boy,  and  he,  single-handed,  or  rather 
single-tongued,  was  doing  battle  with  the  whole, 
sending  forth  a clear  stream  of  vocal  power,  which 
for  a while  bore  its  way  triumphantly  through  the 
whole  troubled  waters,  till,  finding  himself  over- 
powered by  the  immense  majority,  with  a tone  that 
set  the  whole  mass  in  a roar,  and  showed  his  dem- 
ocratic principles,  he  cried  out,  “Vox  populi  est 
vox  Dei !”  and  submitted. 

Along  the  corridor,  and  in  the  whole  area  of  the 
patio,  or  courtyard,  were  tables,  and  benches,  and 
papers,  and  grains  of  corn,  and  ponderous  sticks, 
the  same  as  in  the  sala,  and  men  and  women  sitting 
as  close  together.  The  passages  were  choked  up, 
and  over  the  heads  of  those  sitting  at  the  tables,,  all 


20 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


within  reach  were  bending  their  eyes  earnestly  upon 
the  mysterious  papers.  They  were  gray  heads, 
boys  and  girls,  and  little  children  ; fathers  and  moth- 
ers ; husbands  and  wives ; masters  and  servants ; men 
high  in  office,  muleteers,  and  bull-fighters ; senoras 
and  serioritas,  with  jewels  around  their  necks  and 
roses  in  their  hair,  and  Indian  women,  worth  only 
the  slight  covering  they  had  on  ; beauty  and  deform- 
ity ; the  best  and  the  vilest  in  Merida ; perhaps,  in 
all,  two  thousand  persons ; and  this  great  multitude, 
many  of  whom  we  had  seen  but  a few  minutes  before 
on  their  knees  in  the  church,  and  among  them  the 
fair  bevy  of  girls  who  had  stood  by  us  on  the  steps, 
were  now  assembled  in  a public  gambling-house  ! a 
beautiful  spectacle  for  a stranger  the  first  night  of 
his  arrival  in  the  capital ! 

But  the  devil  is  not  so  black  as  he  is  painted.  I 
do  not  mean  to  offer  any  apology  for  gambling,  in 
Yucatan,  as  in  all  the  rest  of  Mexico,  the  bane  and 
scourge  of  all  ranks  of  society  ; but  Merida  is,  in  a 
small  way,  a city  of  my  love,  and  I would  fain  raise 
this  great  mass  of  people  from  the  gulf  into  which  I 
have  just  plunged  them  : at  least,  I would  lift  their 
heads  a little  above  water. 

The  game  which  they  were  engaged  in  playing 
is  called  La  Loteria,  or  the  Lottery.  It  is  a favour- 
ite amusement  throughout  all  the  Mexican  provin- 
ces, and  extends  to  every  village  in  Yucatan.  It  is 
authorized  by  the  government,  and,  as  was  former- 
ly the  case  to  a pernicious  extent  with  the  lotteries 


THE  LOTTERY. 


21 


in  our  own  country,  is  used  as  an  instrument  to  raise 
money,  either  for  the  use  of  the  government  itself,  or 
for  other  purposes  which  are  considered  deserving. 
The  principle  of  the  game,  or  the  scheme,  consists  of 
different  combinations  of  numbers,  from  one  to  nine- 
ty, which  are  written  on  papers,  nine  rows  on  each 
side,  with  five  figures  in  each  row.  As  ninety  fig- 
ures admit  of  combinations  to  an  almost  indefinite 
extent,  any  number  of  papers  can  be  issued,  each 
containing  a different  series  of  combinations.  These 

<ZJ 

papers  are  stamped  by  the  government,  and  sold  at 
a real,  or  twelve  and  a half  cents  each.  Every  play- 
er purchases  one  of  these  papers,  and  fastens  it  to 
the  table  before  him  with  a wafer.  A purse  is  then 
made  up,  each  player  putting  in  a certain  sum,  which 
is  collected  by  a boy  in  a hat.  The  boy  with  the 
bag  of  balls  then  announces,  or  rather  sings  out,  the 
amount  of  the  purse,  and  rattling  his  bag  of  balls, 
draws  out  one,  and  sings  the  number  drawn.  Eve- 
ry player  marks  on  his  paper  with  a grain  of  corn 
the  number  called  off,  and  the  one  who  is  first  able  to 
mark  five  numbers  in  a row  wins  the  purse.  This 
he  announces  by  rapping  on  the  table  with  the  stick, 
and  standing  up  in  his  place.  The  boy  sings  over 
again  the  numbers  drawn,  and  if,  on  comparison,  all 
is  found  right,  delivers  the  purse.  The  game  is  then 
ended,  and  another  begins.  Sometimes  mistakes 
occur,  and  it  was  a mistake  that  led  to  the  extraor- 
dinary clamour  and  confusion  we  had  found  on 
reaching  the  neighbourhood  of  the  boy. 


22 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


The  amount  played  for  will  give  some  idea  of  the 
character  of  the  game.  Before  commencing,  the 
boy  called  out  that  the  stake  should  in  no  case  ex- 
ceed two  reals.  This,  however,  was  considered  too 
high,  and  it  was  fixed  by  general  consent  at  a me- 
dio, or  six  and  a quarter  cents.  The  largest  amount 
proclaimed  by  the  boy  was  twenty-seven  dollars 
and  three  reals,  which,  divided  among  four  hundred 
and  thirty-eight  players,  did  not  make  very  heavy 
gambling.  In  fact,  an  old  gentleman  near  whom  I 
was  standing  told  me  it  was  a small  affair,  and  not 
worth  learning;  but  he  added  that  there  was  a place 
in  the  neighbourhood  where  they  played  monte  for 
doubloons.  The  whole  amount  circulated  during 
the  evening  fell  far  short  of  what  is  often  exchanged 
at  a small  party  in  a private  drawing-room  at  home, 
and  among  those  who  would  not  relish  the  imputa- 
tion of  being  accounted  gamblers.  In  fact,  it  is  per- 
haps but  just  to  say  that  this  great  concourse  of  peo- 
ple was  not  brought  together  by  the  spirit  of  gam- 
bling. The  people  of  Merida  are  fond  of  amuse- 
ments, and  in  the  absence  of  theatres  and  other  pub- 
lic entertainments,  the  loteria  is  a great  gathering- 
place,  where  persons  of  all  ages  and  classes  go  to 
meet  acquaintances.  Rich  and  poor,  great  and 
small,  meet  under  the  same  roof  on  a footing  of  per- 
fect equality  ; good  feeling  is  cultivated  among  all 
without  any  forgetting  their  place.  Whole  families 
go  thither  together ; young  people  procure  seats 
near  each  other,  and  play  at  more  desperate  games 


PASSION  FOR  GAMBLING. 


23 


than  the  loteria,  where  hearts,  or  at  least  hands,  are 
at  stake,  and  perhaps  that  night  some  bold  player, 
in  losing  his  medios,  drew  a richer  prize  than  the 
large  purse  of  twenty-seven  dollars  and  three  reals. 
In  fact,  the  loteria  is  considered  merely  an  acces- 
sory to  the  pleasures  of  social  intercourse  ; and,  in- 
stead of  gaming,  it  might  be  called  a grand  conver- 
sacione,  but  not  very  select ; at  least  such  was  our 
conclusion;  and  there  was  something  to  make  us 
rather  uncharitable,  for  the  place  was  hot  enough 
to  justify  an  application  to  it  of  the  name  bestowed 
in  common  parlance  on  the  gambling-houses  of 
London  and  Paris. 

At  about  eleven  o’clock  we  left.  On  our  way 
down  the  street  we  passed  the  open  door  of  a house 
in  which  were  tables  piled  with  gold  and  silver,  and 
men  around  playing  what,  in  the  opinion  of  my  old 
adviser  of  the  loteria,  was  a game  worth  learning. 
We  returned  to  the  house,  and  found,  what  in  our 
haste  to  be  at  the  fiesta  we  had  paid  no  attention 
to,  that  Dona  Micaela  could  give  us  but  one  room, 
and  that  a small  one,  and  near  the  door.  As  wTe  ex- 
pected to  remain  some  days  in  Merida,  we  deter- 
mined the  next  morning  to  take  a house  and  go  to 
housekeeping.  While  arranging  ourselves  for  the 
night,  we  heard  a loud,  unnatural  noise  at  the  door, 
and,  going  out,  found  rolling  over  the  pavement  the 
Cerberus  of  the  mansion,  an  old  Indian  miserably 
deformed,  with  his  legs  drawn  up,  his  back  down, 
his  neck  and  head  thrust  forward,  and  his  eyes  start- 


24 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


ing  from  tlieir  sockets  ; lie  was  entertaining  himself 
with  an  outrageous  soliloquy  in  the  Maya  tongue, 
and  at  our  appearance  he  pitched  his  voice  higher 
than  before.  Signs  and  threats  had  no  effect.  Se- 
cure in  his  deformity,  he  seemed  to  feel  a malicious 
pleasure  that  he  had  it  in  his  power  to  annoy  us. 
We  gave  up,  and  while  he  continued  rolling  out 
tremendous  Maya,  we  fell  asleep.  So  passed  our 
first  night  in  Merida. 


HOUSEKEEPING. 


25 


CHAPTER  II. 

Housekeeping. — Description  of  a Bull-ring. — A Bull-fight. — Spec- 
tators.— Brutal  Torments  inflicted  on  the  Bulls. — Serious  Acci- 
dents.— A noble  Beast. — An  exciting  Scene. — Victims  to  Bull- 
fighting.— Danger  and  Ferocity  of  Bull-fights. — Effects  on  moral 
Character. — Grand  Mass. — A grand  Procession. — The  Alameda. 
— Calezas. — A Concert,  and  its  Arrangements. — Fete  of  Todos 
Santos. — A singular  Custom. — An  Incident. 

Early  the  next  morning  the  carreta  arrived  with 
our  luggage,  and,  to  avoid  the  trouble  of  loading 
and  unloading,  we  directed  it  to  remain  at  the  door, 
and  set  out  immediately  to  look  for  a house.  We 
had  not  much  time,  and,  consequently,  but  little 
choice  ; but,  with  the  help  of  Doha  Micaela,  in 
half  an  hour  we  found  one  that  answered  our  pur- 
pose. We  returned  and  started  the  carreta;  an 
Indian  followed,  carrying  on  his  head  a table,  and 
on  the  top  of  it  a washhand-basin  ; another  with 
three  chairs,  all  Doha  Micaela’s,  and  we  closed 
the  procession. 

Our  house  was  in  the  street  of  the  Flamingo. 
Like  most  of  the  houses  in  Merida,  it  was  built  of 
stone,  and  had  one  story  ; the  front  was  about  thir- 
ty feet,  and  had  a sala  covering  the  whole,  about 
twenty  feet  in  depth.  The  ceiling  was  perhaps 
eighteen  feet  high,  and  the  walls  had  wooden  knobs 
for  fastening  hammocks.  Behind  the  sala  was  a 
broad  corridor,  opening  on  a courtyard,  at  one  side 
Yol.  I.— D 3 


26 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


of  which  wTas  a sleeping-room,  and  at  the  back  of 
that  a comeder  or  eating-room.  The  floors  were 
all  of  hard  cement.  The  courtyard  was  about  thir- 
ty feet  square,  with  high  stone  walls,  and  a well  in 
the  centre.  Next,  running  across  the  lot,  was  a 
kitchen,  with  a sleeping-room  for  servants,  and  back 
of  that  another  courtyard,  forty  feet  deep,  with  stone 
walls  fifteen  feet  high ; and  in  order  that  my  inquiring 
fellow-citizens  may  form  some  idea  of  the  com- 
parative value  of  real  estate  in  Merida  and  New- 
York,  I mention  that  the  rent  was  four  dollars  per 
month,  which  for  three  persons  we  did  not  consider 
extravagant.  We  had  our  own  travelling  beds,  the 
table,  washhand-basin,  and  chairs  set  up,  and  before 
breakfast  our  house  was  furnished. 

In  the  mean  time  the  fiesta  of  San  Cristoval  was 
going  on.  Grand  mass  was  over,  and  the  next  cer- 
emony in  order  was  a corrida  de  toros,  or  bull-fight, 
to  commence  at  ten  o’clock. 

The  Plaza  de  Toros,  or,  in  English,  the  bull-ring, 
wras  in  the  square  of  the  church  of  San  Cristoval. 
The  enclosure  or  place  for  spectators  occupied  near- 
ly the  whole  of  the  square,  a strange  and  very  ori- 
ginal structure,  which  in  its  principles  would  as- 
tonish a European  architect.  It  was  a gigantic  cir- 
cular scaffold,  perhaps  fifteen  hundred  feet  in  cir- 
cumference, capable  of  containing  four  or  five  thou- 
sand persons,  erected  and  held  together  without  the 
use  of  a single  nail,  being  made  of  rude  poles,  just  as 
they  were  cut  in  the  woods,  and  tied  together  with 


DESCRIPTION  OF  A BULL-RING. 


27 


withes.  The  interior  was  enclosed  by  long  poles, 
crossing  and  interlacing  each  other,  leaving  only  an 
opening  for  the  door,  and  was  divided  in  like  man- 
ner by  poles  into  boxes.  The  whole  formed  a gi- 
gantic frame  of  rustic  lattice-work,  admirably  adapt- 
ed for  that  hot  climate,  as  it  admitted  a free  circu- 
lation of  air.  The  top  was  covered  with  an  arbour 
made  of  the  leaves  of  the  American  palm.  The 
whole  structure  was  simple  and  curious.  Every 
Indian  could  assist  in  building  it,  and  when  the  fies- 
ta was  over  it  could  be  torn  down,  and  the  materials 
used  for  firewood. 

The  corrida  had  begun  when  we  arrived  on  the 
ground,  and  the  place  was  already  thronged.  There 
was  a great  choice  of  seats,  as  one  side  was  exposed 
to  the  full  blaze  of  the  sun.  Over  the  doors  were 
written  Palco  No.  1,  Palco  No.  2,  &c.,  and  each  box 
had  a separate  proprietor,  who  stood  in  the  doorway, 
with  a little  rickety  step-ladder  of  three  or  four  steps, 
inviting  customers.  One  of  them  undertook  to  pro- 
vide for  us,  and  for  two  reals  apiece  we  were  con- 
ducted to  front  seats.  It  was,  if  possible,  hotter  than 
at  the  loteria,  and  in  the  movement  and  confusion 
of  passing  us  to  our  seats,  the  great  scaffold  trem- 
bled, and  seemed  actually  swaying  to  and  fro  under 
its  living  load. 

The  spectators  were  of  all  classes,  colours,  and 
ages,  from  gray  heads  to  children  asleep  in  their 
mother’s  arms;  and  next  to  me  was  a half-blooded 
maternal  head  of  a family,  with  the  key  of  her  house 


28 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


in  her  hand,  her  children  tucked  in  between  the  legs 
of  her  neighbours,  or  under  their  chairs.  At  the 
feet  of  those  sitting  on  the  front  seats  was  a.  row  of 
boys  and  girls,  with  their  little  heads  poked  through 
the  railing,  and  all  around  hung  down  a variegated 
fringe-work  of  .black  and  white  legs.  Opposite,  and 
on  the  top  of  the  scaffold,  was  a band  of  music,  the 
leader  of  which  wore  a shining  black  mask,  cari- 
caturing a negro. 

A bull  was  in  the  ring,  two  barbed  darts  trimmed 
with  blue  and  yellow  paper  were  hanging  from  his 
flanks,  and  his  neck  was  pierced  with  wounds,  from 
which  ran  down  streams  of  blood.  The  picadores 
stood  aloof  with  bloody  spears  in  their  hands  ; a 
mounted  dragoon  was  master  of  ceremonies,  and 
there  were,  besides,  eight  or  ten  vacjueros,  or  cattle- 
tenders,  from  the  neighbouring  haciendas,  hard  ri- 
ders, and  brought  up  to  deal  with  cattle  that  run 
wild  in  the  woods.  These  were  dressed  in  pink- 
coloured  shirt  and  trousers,  and  wore  small  hats  of 
straw  platted  thick,  with  low  round  crowns,  and 
narrow  brims  turned  up  at  the  side.  Their  saddles 
had  large  leathern  flaps,  covering  half  the  body  of 
the  horse,  and  each  had  a lazo,  or  coil  of  rope,  in 
his  hand,  and  a pair  of  enormous  iron  spurs,  perhaps 
six  inches  long,  and  weighing  two  or  three  pounds, 
which,  contrasted  with  their  small  horses,  gave  a sort 
of  Bombastes  Furioso  character  to  their  appearance. 
By  the  order  of  the  dragoon,  these  vaqueros,  striking 
their  coils  of  rope  against  the  large  flaps  of  their  sad- 


A BULL-FIGHT. 


29 


dies,  started  the  bull,  and,  chasing  him  round  the 
ring,  with  a few  throws  of  the  lazo  caught  him  by 
the  horns  and  dragged  him  to  a post  at  one  side  of 
the  ring,  where,  riding  off  with  the  rope,  they  hauled 
his  head  down  to  the  ground  close  against  the  post. 
Keeping  it  down  in  that  position,  some  of  the  oth- 
ers passed  a rope  twice  round  his  body  just  behind 
the  fore  legs,  and,  securing  it  on  the  back,  passed  it 
under  his  tail,  and  returning  it,  crossed  it  with  the 
coils  around  his  body.  Two  or  three  men  on  each 
side  then  hauled  upon  the  rope,  which  cut  into  and 
compressed  the  bull’s  chest,  and  by  its  tightness  un- 
der the  tail  almost  lifted  his  hind  legs  from  off  the 
ground.  This  was  to  excite  and  madden  him.  The 
poor  animal  bellowed,  threw  himself  on  the  ground, 
and  kicked  and  struggled  to  get  rid  of  the  brutal  tie. 
From  the  place  where  we  sat  we  had  in  full  view 
the  front  of  the  church  of  San  Cristoval,  and  over 
the  door  we  read  in  large  characters,  “ Hie  est  domus 
Dei , hie  est  porta  cceli!'  “ Here  is  the  house  of  God, 
here  is  the  gate  of  heaven.” 

But  they  had  yet  another  goad  for  the  bull. 
Watching  narrowly  that  the  ropes  around  his  horns 
did  not  get  loose,  they  fixed  upon  his  back  the 
figure  of  a soldier  in  a cocked  hat,  seated  in  a 
saddle.  This  excited  a great  laugh  among  the 
spectators.  We  learned  that  both  the  saddle  and 
the  figure  of  the  soldier  were  made  of  wood, 
paper,  and  gunpowder,  composing  a formidable 
piece  of  fireworks.  When  this  was  fairly  secur- 


30 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


ed,  all  fell  back,  and  the  picadores,  mounted,  and 
with  their  spears  poised,  took  their  places  in  the 
ring.  The  band,  perhaps  in  compliment  to  us,  and 
to  remind  us  of  home,  struck  up  the  beautiful  na- 
tional melody  of  “Jim  Crow.”  A villanous-look- 
ing  fellow  set  off  large  aud  furiously-whizzing  rock- 
ets within  a few  feet  of  the  bull ; another  fired  in 
the  heel  the  figure  of  the  soldier  on  his  back  ; the 
spectators  shouted,  the  rope  was  slipped,  and  the 
bull  let  loose. 

His  first  dash  was  perfectly  furious.  Bounding 
forward  and  throwing  up  his  hind  legs,  maddened 
by  the  shouts  of  the  crowd,  and  the  whizzing  and 
explosion,  fire  and  smoke  of  the  engine  of  torture  on 
his  back,  he  dashed  blindly  at  every  picador,  re- 
ceiving thrust  after  thrust  with  the  spear,  until,  amid 
the  loud  laughter  and  shouts  of  the  spectators,  the 
powder  burned  out,  and  the  poor  beast,  with  gaping 
wounds,  and  blood  streaming  from  them,  turned  and 
ran,  bellowed  for  escape  at  the  gate  of  entrance, 
and  then  crawled  around  the  wall  of  the  ring,  look- 
ing up  to  the  spectators,  and  with  imploring  eyes 
seemed  pleading  to  the  mild  faces  of  the  women  for 
mercy. 

In  a few  minutes  he  was  lazoed  and  dragged  off, 
and  he  had  hardly  disappeared  when  another  was 
led  in,  the  manner  of  whose  introduction  seemed 
more  barbarous  and  brutal  than  any  of  the  torments 
inflicted  on  the  former.  It  was  by  a rope  two  or 
three  hundred  feet  long,  passed  through  the  fleshy 


BRUTAL  USAGE. 


31 


part  of  the  bull’s  nose,  and  secured  at  both  ends  to 
the  vaquero’s  saddle.  In  this  way  he  was  hauled 
through  the  streets  and  into  the  ring.  Another 
vaquero  followed,  with  a lazo  over  the  horns,  to  hold 
the  bull  back,  and  keep  him  from  rushing  upon  his 
leader.  In  the  centre  of  the  ring  the  leader  loosed 
one  end  of  the  rope,  and,  riding  on,  dragged  it  trail- 
ing on  the  ground  its  whole  length,  perhaps  a hun- 
dred yards,  through  the  bull’s  nose,  leaving  a crust 
of  dirt  on  one  side  as  it  came  out  bloody  on  the 
other.  The  bull,  held  back  by  the  rope  over  his 
horns,  stood  with  his  neck  outstretched;  and  when 
the  end  of  the  rope  passed  through,  he  licked  his 
gory  nose,  pawed  the  ground,  and  bellowed. 

He  was  then  lazoed,  dragged  up  to  the  post,  girt 
with  the  rope  around  his  body  like  the  other,  and 
then,  amid  bursts  of  music,  rockets,  and  shouts, 
again  let  loose.  The  chulos  went  at  him,  daring 
before  him  with  the  left  hand  red  and  yellow  pon- 
chas,  and  holding  in  the  right  darts  containing  fire- 
works, and  ornamented  with  yellow  paper  cut  into 
slips.  These  they  thrust  into  his  neck  and  fianks. 
The  current  of  air  accelerated  the  ignition  of  the 
fire ; and  when  the  fireworks  exploded,  the  paper 
still  rattled  about  his  ears.  The  picadores  then 
mounted  their  horses  ; but,  after  a few  thrusts  of  the 
spear,  the  bull  fiinched,  and  the  spectators,  indignant 
that  he  did  not  show  more  fight,  cried  out,  “ Saca 
esa  vaca!”  “Take  out  that  cow !” 


32 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


The  next  was  hauled  on  in  the  same  way  by  a 
rope  through  his  nose.  He  was  girt  with  the  rope, 
tortured  with  darts,  speared  by  the  picadores  on 
horseback,  and,  as  he  did  not  show  good  fight,  they 
dismounted  and  attacked  him  on  foot.  This  is  con- 
sidered the  most  dangerous  contest  both  for  man 
and  beast.  The  picadores  formed  in  front  of  him, 
each  with  a black  or  yellow  poncha  in  his  left  hand, 
and  poising  his  spear  with  the  right.  They  stood 
with  their  legs  extended  and  knees  bent,  so  as  to 
keep  a firm  foothold,  changing  position  by  a spring 
forward  or  backward,  on  one  side  or  the  other,  to 
meet  the  movement  of  the  bull’s  head.  The  object 
was  to  strike  between  the  horns  into  the  back  of  the 
neck.  T wo  or  three  struck  him  fairly  with  a cutting, 
heavy  sound,  and  drew  out  their  spears  reeking  with 
blood.  One  man  misdirected  his  blow ; the  bull 
threw  up  his  neck  with  the  long  handle  of  the  spear 
standing  upright  in  it,  and  rushing  upon  the  picador, 
hurled  him  to  the  ground,  and  passed  over  his  body, 
seeming  to  strike  him  with  all  four  of  his  hoofs. 
The  man  never  moved,  but  lay  on  his  back,  with  his 
arms  outstretched,  apparently  dead.  The  bull  mo- 
ved on  with  the  handle  of  the  spear  still  standing  up 
in  his  neck,  a terror  to  all  in  the  ring.  The  vaqueros 
went  in  pursuit  of  him  with  the  lazos,  and,  chasing 
him  round,  the  spear  fell  out,  and  they  caught  him. 
In  the  mean  time,  the  fallen  man  was  picked  up  by 
some  of  his  companions,  and  carried  off,  doubled  up, 


A POPULAR  FAVOURITE. 


33 


and  apparently  cured  forever  of  bull-fighting.  We 
heard  afterward  that  he  only  had  some  of  his  ribs 
broken. 

He  was  hardly  out  of  sight  when  the  accident 
was  forgotten  ; the  bull  was  again  assaulted,  worried 
out,  and  dragged  off.  Others  followed,  making  eight 
in  all.  At  twelve  o’clock  the  church  bells  rang  and 
the  fight  ended,  but,  as  we  were  dispersing,  we  were 
reminded  that  another  would  begin  at  four  o’clock 
in  the  afternoon. 

At  four  we  were  again  in  our  places.  Our  special 
reason  for  following  up  this  sport  so  closely  was  be- 
cause we  were  advised  that  in  the  morning  common 
people  only  attended,  but  that  in  the  afternoon  all 
the  gente  decente,o r upper  classes,  of  Merida  would 
be  present.  I am  happy  to  say,  however,  that  this 
was  not  true,  and  the  only  sensible  difference  that 
we  noticed  was,  that  it  was  more  crowded  and  hot- 
ter, and  that  the  price  of  admission  was  double. 

This  was  the  last  corrida  of  the  fiesta,  and  some 
of  the  best  bulls  had  been  kept  in  reserve.  The 
first  that  was  dragged  on  was  received  with  accla- 
mations, as  having  distinguished  himself  before  du- 
ring the  fiesta ; but  he  bore  an  ugly  mark  for  a fa- 
vourite of  the  people,  having  been  dragged  by  the 
nose  till  the  cartilage  was  completely  torn  out  by 
the  rope. 

The  next  would  have  been  worthy  of  the  best 
bull- fights  of  Old  Spain,  when  the  cavalier,  at  the 
glance  of  his  lady’s  eye,  leaped  into  the  ring  to  play 

Vol.  I.— E 


34 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


the  matador  with  his  sword.  He  was  a large  black 
bull,  without  any  particular  marks  of  ferocity  about 
him  ; but  a man  who  sat  in  our  box,  and  for  whose 
judgment  I had  conceived  a great  respect,  lighted  a 
new  straw  cigar,  and  pronounced  him  “ muy  bravo .” 
There  was  no  bellowing,  blustering,  or  bravado 
about  him,  but  he  showed  a calmness  and  self- 
possession  which  indicated  a consciousness  of 
strength.  The  picadores  attacked  him  on  horse- 
back, and,  like  the  Noir  Faineant,  or  Sluggish 
Knight,  in  the  lists  at  Ashby,  for  a time  he  content- 
ed himself  with  merely  repelling  the  attacks  of  his 
assailants ; but  suddenly,  as  if  a little  vexed,  he  laid 
his  head  low,  looked  up  at  the  spears  pointed  at  his 
neck,  and,  shutting  his  eyes,  rushed  upon  a picador 
on  one  side,  struck  his  horse  in  the  belly  with  his 
horns,  lifted  him  off  his  feet,  and  brought  horse  and 
rider  headlong  to  the  ground.  The  horse  fell  upon 
the  rider,  rolled  completely  over  him,  with  his  heels 
in  the  air,  and  rose  with  one  of  the  rider’s  feet  en- 
tangled in  the  stirrup.  For  an  instant  he  stood 
like  a breathing  statue,  with  nostrils  wide  and  ears 
thrown  back,  wild  with  fright ; and  then,  catching 
sight  of  the  bull,  he  sprang  clear  of  the  ground,  and 
dashed  off  at  full  speed  around  the  ring,  dragging 
after  him  the  luckless  picador.  Around  he  went, 
senseless  and  helpless,  his  whole  body  grimed  with 
dirt,  and  with  no  more  life  in  it,  apparently,  than  in 
a mere  log  of  wood.  At  every  bound  it  seemed  as 
if  the  horse  must  strike  his  hind  hoofs  into  his  fore- 


VICTIMS  TO  BUL  L-F  I G H T I N G.  35 

head.  A cold  shudder  ran  through  the  spectators. 
The  man  was  a favourite  ; he  had  friends  and  rel- 
atives present,  and  everybody  knew  his  name.  A 
deep  murmur  of  “ El  Poire  ’ burst  from  every  bo- 
som. I felt  actually  lifted  from  my  seat,  and  the 
president  of  the  Life  and  Trust  would  not  have 
given  a policy  upon  him  for  any  premium.  The 
picadores  looked  on  aghast ; the  bull  was  roaming 
loose  in  the  ring,  perhaps  the  only  indifferent  spec- 
tator. My  own  feelings  were  roused  against  his 
companions,  who,  after  what  seemed  an  age  of  the 
rack,  keeping  a special  good  lookout  upon  the  bull, 
at  length  started  in  pursuit  with  lazos,  caught  the 
horse  around  the  neck,  and  brought  him  up  head- 
long. The  picadores  extricated  their  fallen  com- 
panion, and  carried  him  out.  His  face  was  so  be- 
grimed with  dirt  that  not  a feature  was  visible ; 
but,  as  he  was  borne  across  the  ring,  he  opened  his 
eyes,  and  they  seemed  starting  from  his  head  with 
terror. 

He  was  hardly  out  of  the  ring  when  a hoarse  cry 
ran  through  the  spectators,  “ a pie ! a pie  !”  “ on 
foot ! on  foot !”  The  picadores  dismounted  and  at- 
tacked the  bull  fiercely  on  foot,  flourishing  their 
ponchas.  Almost  at  the  first  thrust  he  rushed  upon 
one  of  his  adversaries,  tumbled  him  down,  passed 
over  his  body,  and  walked  on  without  even  turning 
round  to  look  at  him.  He  too  was  picked  up  and 
carried  off. 

The  attack  was  renewed,  and  the  bull  became 


36 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


roused.  In  a few  moments  he  brought  another  pic- 
ador to  the  ground,  and,  carried  on  by  his  own  im- 
petus, passed  over  the  body,  but,  with  a violent  ef- 
fort, recovered  himself,  and  turned  short  round  upon 
his  prostrate  prey,  glared  over  him  for  a moment 
with  a low  bellow,  almost  a howl,  and,  raising  his 
fore  feet  a little  from  the  ground,  so  as  to  give  full 
force  to  the  blow,  thrust  both  horns  into  the  stomach 
of  the  fallen  picador.  Happily,  the  points  were 
sawed  off ; and,  furious  at  not  being  able  to  gore  and 
toss  him,  he  got  one  horn  under  the  picador’s  sash, 
lifted  him,  and  dashed  him  back  violently  upon  the 
ground.  Accustomed  as  the  spectators  were  to 
scenes  of  this  kind,  there  was  a universal  burst  of 
horror.  Not  a man  moved  to  save  him.  It  would, 
perhaps,  be  unjust  to  brand  them  as  cowards,  for, 
brutal  and  degrading  as  their  tie  was,  they  doubtless 
had  a feeling  of  companionship ; but,  at  all  events, 
not  a man  attempted  to  save  him,  and  the  bull,  after 
glaring  over  him,  smelling  and  pawing  him  for  a 
moment,  to  all  a moment  of  intense  excitement, 
turned  away  and  left  him. 

This  man,  too,  was  carried  off.  The  sympathy 
of  the  spectators  had  for  a while  kept  them  hushed  ; 
but,  as  soon  as  the  man  was  out  of  sight,  all  their 
pent-up  feelings  broke  out  in  indignation  against  the 
bull,  and  there  was  a universal  cry,  in  which  the 
soft  tones  of  women  mingled  with  the  hoarse  voices 
of  the  men,  “ Matalo ! matalo /”  “Kill  him!  kill 
him!”  The  picadores  stood  aghast.  Three  of  their 


FEROCITY  OF  BULL-FIGHTS. 


37 


companions  had  been  struck  down  and  carried  off 
the  field  ; .the  bull,  pierced  in  several  places,  with 
blood  streaming  from  him,  but  fresh  as  when  he  be- 
gan, and  fiercer,  was  roaming  round  the  ring,  and 
they  held  back,  evidently  afraid  to  attack  him.  The 
spectators  showered  upon  them  the  opprobrious 
name  of “cobardes!  cobar des!”  “cowards!  cowards!” 
The  dragoon  enforced  obedience  to  their  voice,  and, 
fortifying  themselves  with  a strong  draught  of  agua 
ardiente,  they  once  more  faced  the  bull,  poised  their 
spears  before  him,  but  with  faint  hands  and  trem- 
bling hearts,  and  finally,  without  a single  thrust,  amid 
the  contemptuous  shouts  of  the  crowd,  fell  back, 
and  left  the  bull  master  of  the  field. 

Others  were  let  in,  and  it  was  almost  dark  when 
the  last  fight  ended.  With  the  last  bull  the  ring  was 
opened  to  the  boys,  who,  amid  roars  of  laughter, 
pulled,  hauled,  and  hustled  him  till  he  could  hardly 
stand,  and,  amid  the  solemn  tones  of  the  vesper  bell, 
the  bull-fight  in  honour  of  San  Cristoval  ended. 

Modern  laws,  we  are  told,  have  done  much  to 
abate  the  danger  and  ferocity  of  bull-fights.  The 
horns  of  the  bull  are  sawed  off,  so  that  he  cannot 
gore,  and  spears  are  not  allowed  of  more  than  a cer- 
tain length,  so  that  the  bull  cannot  be  killed  by  a 
direct  blow  ; but,  in  my  opinion,  it  would  be  really 
better  for  effect  upon  moral  character  that  a bull- 
fight should  be,  as  it  once  was,  a battle  for  life  be- 
tween man  and  beast,  for  then  it  was  an  exhibition 
of  skill  and  daring,  around  which  were  sometimes 

4 


38 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


thrown  the  graces  of  chivalry.  The  danger  to  which 
the  man  exposed  himself,  to  a certain  extent  atoned 
for  the  barbarities  inflicted  on  the  bull.  Here  for 
eight  days  bulls  with  blunted  horns  had  been  stab- 
bed, mangled,  and  tortured  ; many,  no  doubt,  died 
of  their  wounds,  or  were  killed  because  they  could 
not  recover;  and  that  day  we  had  seen  four  men 
struck  down  and  carried  off,  two  of  whom  had  nar- 
rowly escaped  with  their  lives,  if,  indeed,  they  ever 
recovered.  After  the  immediate  excitement  of  the 
danger,  the  men  were  less  objects  of  commiseration 
than  the  beasts,  but  the  whole  showed  the  still  bloody 
effects  of  this  modified  system  of  bull-fighting.  Men 
go  into  all  places  without  shame,  though  not  with- 
out reproach,  but  I am  happy  in  being  able  to  say 
that  none  of  what  are  called  the  higher  classes  of 
the  ladies  of  Merida  wTere  present.  Still  there  were 
many  whose  young  and  gentle  faces  did  not  convey 
the  idea  that  they  could  find  pleasure  in  scenes  of 
blood,  even  though  but  the  blood  of  brutes. 

In  the  evening  we  took  another  hot-bath  at  the  lo- 
teria,  and  the  next  day  was  Sunday,  the  last  day  of 
the  fiesta,  which  opened  in  the  morning  with  grand 
mass  in  the  church  of  San  Cristoval.  The  great 
church,  the  paintings  and  altars,  the  burning  of  in- 
cense, the  music,  the  imposing  ceremonies  of  the  al- 
tar, and  the  kneeling  figures,  inspired,  as  they  always 
do,  if  not  a religious,  at  least  a solemn  feeling  ; and, 
as  on  the  occasion  of  grand  mass  in  the  Cathedral  on 
my  first  vist  to  Merida,  among  the  kneeling  figures  of 


A GRAND  PROCESSION. 


39 


the  women  my  eyes  rested  upon  one  with  a black 
mantle  over  her  head,  a prayer-book  in  her  hand,  and 
an  Indian  woman  by  her  side,  whose  face  exhibited 
a purity  and  intellectual  softness  which  it  was  easy 
for  the  imagination  to  invest  with  all  those  attributes 
that  make  woman  perfect.  Whether  she  was  maid, 
wife,  or  widow,  I never  learned. 

At  four  o’clock  in  the  afternoon  we  set  out  for 
the  procession  and  paseo.  The  intense  heat  of  the 
day  was  over,  there  was  shade  in  the  streets,  and  a 
fresh  evening  breeze.  The  streets  through  which 
the  procession  was  to  pass  were  adorned  with 
branches,  and  at  the  corners  were  large  collections 
of  them,  forming  groves  of  green.  The  balconies 
of  the  windows  were  hung  with  silk  curtains  and 
banners,  and  in  the  doorways  and  along  the  walks 
Isat  rows  of  ladies  simply  but  beautifully  dressed, 
without  hats,  their  hair  adorned  with  flowers,  and 
their  necks  with  jewels.  Near  the  church  of  San 
Crisloval  we  were  arrested  by  the  crowd,  and  wait- 
ed till  the  procession  came  up. 

It  was  headed  by  three  priests,  all  richly  dressed, 
one  supporting  a large  silver  cross  ten  feet  high,  and 
each  of  the  others  bearing  a tall  silver  candlestick. 
They  were  followed  by  an  Indian  band,  a motley 
group,  the  leaders  of  which  were  three  Indians,  one 
supporting  the  head  and  another  the  foot  of  a large 
violoncello.  Next  came  a party  of  Indians,  bearing 
on  their  shoulders  a barrow  supporting  a large  sil- 
ver cross.  At  the  foot  of  the  cross  sat  the  figure  of 


40 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


Mary  Magdalen,  large  as  life,  dressed  in  red.  Over 
her  head  was  a blue  silk  mantilla,  with  a broad  gold 
border,  and  across  her  lap  the  figure  of  the  dead 
Christ.  The  barrow  was  ornamented  with  large 
glass  shades,  under  which  candles  were  burning,  and 
garlands  and  wreaths  of  flowers.  This  constituted 
the  whole  of  the  ceremonial  part  of  the  procession, 
and  it  was  followed  by  a large  concourse  of  Indians, 
men  and  women,  dressed  in  white,  all  carrying  in 
their  hands  long  lighted  candles. 

When  the  crowd  had  passed  by  we  strolled  to  the 
Alameda.  This  is  the  great  place  of  promenade 
and  paseo  in  Merida.  It  consists  of  a broad  paved 
avenue,  with  a line  of  stone  seats  on  each  side,  and 
beyond,  on  both  sides,  are  carriage  roads,  shaded  by 
rows  of  trees.  In  full  sight,  and  giving  a picturesque 
beauty  to  the  scene,  rises  the  Castillo,  a ruined  for- 
tress, with  battlements  of  dark  gray  stone,  and  the 
spires  of  the  old  Franciscan  church  rising  inside, 
romantic  in  its  appearance,  and  identified  with  the 
history  of  the  Spanish  conquest.  Regularly  every 
Sunday  there  is  a paseo  around  the  castle  and  along 
the  Alameda,  and  this  day,  on  account  of  the  fete,  it 
was  one  of  the  best  and  gayest  of  the  year. 

The  most  striking  feature,  the  life  and  beauty  of 
the  paseo,  were  the  calesas.  Except  one  or  two  gigs, 
and  a black,  square  box-wagon,  which  occasionally 
shame  the  paseo,  the  calesa  is  the  only  wheeled  car- 
riage in  Merida.  The  body  is  somewhat  like  that 
of  an  oldfashioned  gig,  only  much  larger,  and  rest- 


THE  ALAMEDA. 


41 


ing  on  the  shaft  a little  in  front  of  the  wheels.  It 
is  painted  red,  with  light  and  fancifully  coloured  cur- 
tains for  the  sun,  drawn  by  one  horse,  with  a boy 
riding  him — simple,  fanciful,  and  peculiar  to  Yuca- 
tan. Each  calesa  had  two,  and  sometimes  three 
ladies,  in  the  latter  case  the  prettiest  sitting  in  the 
middle  and  a little  in  front,  all  without  hats  or  veils, 
but  their  hair  beautifully  arranged  and  trimmed  with 
flowers.  Though  exposed  to  the  gaze  of  thousands, 
they  had  no  boldness  of  manner  or  appearance,  but, 
on  the  contrary,  an  air  of  modesty  and  simplicity, 
and  all  had  a mild  and  gentle  expression.  Indeed, 
as  they  rode  alone  and  unattended  through  the  great 
mass  of  pedestrians,  it  seemed  as  if  their  very  gen- 
tleness was  a protection  and  shield  from  insult.  We 
sat  down  on  one  of  the  stone  benches  in  the  Alameda, 
with  the  young,  and  gay,  and  beautiful  of  Merida. 
Strangers  had  not  been  there  to  laugh  at  and  break 
up  their  good  old  customs.  It  was  a little  nook  al- 
most unknown  to  the  rest  of  the  world,  and  inde- 
pendent of  it,  enjoying  what  is  so  rarely  found  in 
this  equalizing  age,  a sort  of  primitive  or  Knicker- 
bocker state.  The  great  charm  was  the  air  of  con- 
tentment that  reigned  over  the  whole.  If  the  young 
ladies  in  the  calesas  had  occupied  the  most  brilliant 
equipages  in  Hyde  Park,  they  could  not  have  seem- 
ed happier;  and  in  their  way,  not  less  attractive  were 
the  great  crowds  of  Mestizas  and  Indian  women, 
some  of  the  former  being  extremely  pretty,  and  all 
having  the  same  mild  and  gentle  expression  ; they 
Vol.  I.— F 


42 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


wore  a picturesque  costume  of  white,  with  a red  bor- 
der around  the  neck  and  skirt,  and  of  that  extraor- 
dinary cleanness  which  I had  remarked  as  the  char- 
acteristic of  the  poorest  in  Merida.  For  an  hour, 
one  continued  stream  of  calesas,  with  ladies,  and 
Mestizas,  and  Indian  women,  passed  us  without  any 
noise,  or  confusion,  "or  tumult,  but  in  all  there  was  such 
an  air  of  quiet  enjoyment  that  we  felt  sad  as  night 
came  on ; and,  as  the  sun  sank  behind  the  ruins  of 
the  castillo,  we  thought  that  there  were  few  places 
in  the  world  where  it  went  down  upon  a prettier  or 
happier  scene. 

The  crowning  ceremonies  of  the  fiesta  were  a dis- 
play of  fireworks  in  the  square  of  the  church,  follow- 
ed by  a concert  and  ball.  The  former  was  for  the 
people,  the  latter  for  a select  few.  This,  by-the-way, 
could  hardly  be  considered  very  select,  as,  upon  the 
application  of  our  landlady,  all  our  household  receiv- 
ed tickets. 

The  entertainment  was  given  by  an  association  of 
young  men  called  La  Sociedacl  Philharmonica.  It 
was  the  second  of  a series  proposed  to  be  given  on 
alternate  Sundays,  and  already  those  who  look  cold- 
ly upon  the  efforts  of  enterprising  young  men  were 
predicting  that  it  would  not  hold  out  long,  which 
prediction  was  unfortunately  verified.  It  was  given 
in  a house  situated  on  a street  running  off  from  the 
Plaza,  one  of  the  few  in  the  city  that  had  two  sto- 
ries, and  which  would  be  considered  respectable 
among  what  are  called  palazzos  in  Italy.  The  en- 


A CONCERT,  AND  ITS  ARRANGEMENTS.  43 

ttance  was  into  an  entresol  paved  with  stone,  and 
the  ascent  by  a broad  flight  of  stone  steps.  The 
concert  room  was  the  sala.  At  one  end  was  a plat- 
form, with  instruments  for  the  performers  and  ama- 
teurs, and  two  rows  of  chairs  were  arranged  in  par- 
allel lines,  opposite  each  other,  the  whole  length  of 
the  room.  When  we  entered,  one  row  was  occupied 
entirely  by  ladies,  while  that  opposite  was  vacant. 
We  approached  it,  but,  fortunately,  before  exposing 
our  ignorance  of  Merida  etiquette,  it  occurred  to  us 
that  these  also  were  intended  for  ladies,  and  we  mo- 
ved on  to  a corner  which  afforded  a longitudinal  view 
of  one  line  and  an  oblique  view  of  the  other.  As 
different  parties  arrived,  after  leaving  shawls,  &c., 
at  the  door,  a gentleman  entered,  leading  the  lady 
by  the  hand,  which  seemed  much  more  graceful  and 
gallant  than  our  fashion  of  hitching  her  on  his  arm, 
particularly  when  there  were  two  ladies.  Leading 
her  to  a seat,  he  left  her,  and  retired  to  the  corridor, 
or  the  embrasure  of  a window.  This  continued  till 
the  whole  line  of  chairs  was  filled  up,  and  we  were 
crowded  out  of  our  corner  for  our  betters,  so  that  the 
room  presented  a coup  d'odl  of  ladies  only.  Here 
they  sat,  not  to  be  touched,  handled,  or  spoken  to,  but 
only  to  be  looked  at,  which,  long  before  the  concert 
was  over,  some  were  tired  of  doing,  and  I think  I am 
safe  in  saying  that  the  faces  of  some  of  the  ladies 
lighted  up  when  the  concert  was  done,  and  the  gen- 
tlemen were  invited  to  take  partners  for  a waltz. 

For  the  first  time  in  my  life,  I saw  beauty  in  a 


44 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


waltz.  It  was  not  the  furious  whirl  of  the  French 
waltz,  stirring  up  the  blood,  making  men  perspire 
and  young  ladies  look  red,  but  a slow,  gentle,  and 
graceful  movement,  apparently  inducing  a languid, 
dreaming,  and  delightful  state  of  being.  The  music, 
too,  instead  of  bursting  with  a deafening  crash,  stole 
on  the  ear  so  gently,  that,  though  every  note  was 
heard  clearly  and  distinctly,  it  made  no  noise ; and 
as  the  feet  of  the  dancers  fell  to  the  gentle  cadence, 
it  seemed  as  if  the  imagination  was  only  touched  by 
the  sound.  Every  face  wore  an  expression  of  pure 
and  refined  enjoyment — an  enjoyment  derived  rath- 
er from  sentiment  than  from  excited  animal  spirits. 
There  were  not  the  show  and  glitter  of  the  ball- 
room in  Europe  or  at  home,  but  there  were  beauty 
of  personal  appearance,  taste  in  dress,  and  propriety 
and  simplicity  of  manners.  At  eleven  o’clock  the 
ball  broke  up ; and  if  the  loteria  was  objectionable, 
and  the  bull-fight  brutal,  the  paseo  and  baglio  re- 
deemed them,  and  left  on  our  minds  a pleasing  im- 
pression of  the  fete  of  San  Cristoval. 

One  fiesta  was  hardly  ended  when  another  began. 
On  Monday  was  the  great  fete  of  Todos  Santos. 
Grand  mass  was  said  in  all  the  churches,  and  in  eve- 
ry family  prayers  were  offered  up  for  the  souls  of  the 
dead  ; and,  besides  the  usual  ceremonies  of  the  Cath- 
olic Church  throughout  the  world,  there  is  one  pe- 
culiar to  Yucatan,  derived  from  the  customs  of  the 
Indians,  and  called  Mukbipoyo.  On  this  day  every 
Indian,  according  to  his  means,  purchases  and  burns 


FETE  OF  TODOS  SANTOS. 


45 


a certain  number  of  consecrated  candles,  in  honour  of 
his  deceased  relatives,  and  in  memory  of  each  mem- 
ber of  his  family  who  has  died  within  the  year.  Be- 
sides this,  they  bake  in  the  earth  a pie  consisting  ol 
a paste  of  Indian  corn,  stuffed  with  pork  and  fowls, 
and  seasoned  with  chili,  and  during  the  day  every 
good  Yucateco  eats  nothing  but  this.  In  the  inte- 
rior, where  the  Indians  are  less  civilized,  they  reli- 
giously place  a portion  of  this  composition  out  of 
doors,  under  a tree,  or  in  some  retired  place,  for  their 
deceased  friends  to  eat,  and  they  say  that  the  por- 
tion thus  set  apart  is  always  eaten,  which  induces 
the  belief  that  the  dead  may  be  enticed  back  by  ap- 
pealing to  the  same  appetites  which  govern  when 
living  ; but  this  is  sometimes  accounted  for  by  ma- 
licious and  skeptical  persons,  who  say  that  in  every 
neighbourhood  there  are  other  Indians,  poorer  than 
those  who  can  afford  to  regale  their  deceased  rela- 
tives, and  these  consider  it  no  sin,  in  a matter  of  this 
kind,  to  step  between  the  living  and  the  dead. 

We  have  reason  to  remember  this  fete  from  one 
untoward  circumstance.  A friendly  neighbour,  who, 
besides  visiting  us  frequently  with  his  wife  and  daugh- 
ter, was  in  the  habit  of  sending  us  fruit  and  dulces 
more  than  we  could  eat,  this  day,  on  the  top  of  a 
large,  undisposed-of  present,  sent  us  a huge  piece  of 
mukbipoyo.  It  was  as  hard  as  an  oak  plank,  and 
as  thick  as  six  of  them ; and  having  already  over- 
tasked ourselves  to  reduce  the  pile  on  the  table, 
when  this  came,  in  a fit  of  desperation  we  took  it 


46 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


out  into  the  courtyard  and  buried  it.  There  it 
would  have  remained  till  this  day  but  for  a mali- 
cious dog  which  accompanied  them  on  their  next  vis- 
it ; he  passed  into  the  courtyard,  rooted  it  up,  and, 
while  we  were  pointing  to  the  empty  platters  as  our 
acknowledgment  of  their  kindness,  this  villanous  dog 
sneaked  through  the  sala  and  out  at  the  front  door 
with  the  pie  in  his  mouth,  apparently  grown  bigger 
since  it  was  buried. 

The  fetes  were  now  ended,  and  we  were  not  sor- 
ry, for  now,  for  the  first  time,  we  had  a prospect  of 
having  our  clothes  washed.  Ever  since  our  arrival, 
our  linen,  &c.,  accumulated  during  the  voyage,  had 
stood  in  gaping  bundles,  imploring  us  to  do  some- 
thing for  them,  but  during  the  continuance  of  the 
fiestas  not  a lavandera  in  Merida  could  be  found  to 
take  in  washing. 


A.  N OLD  FRIEND. 


47 


CHAPTER  III. 

An  old  Friend. — Brief  Account  of  Yucatan. — Early  Voyages  of 
Discovery. — Columbus. — De  Solis  and  Pinzon. — Expedition  of 
Cordova. — Voyages  of  Grijalva. — Expedition  of  Cortez. — Mis- 
sion of  Montejo,  who  receives  a Grant  from  Charles  V. — Dis- 
coveries, Conquests,  and  Sufferings  of  Montejo  and  his  Com- 
panions.— Efforts  to  convert  the  Natives. — Contreras. — Farther 
Particulars  relating  to  the  Conquest  of  Yucatan. 

I trust  the  reader  has  not  forgotten  our  old  friend 
Don  Simon  Peon,  to  whom,  of  course,  our  first  visit 
was  made.  We  were  received  by  himself  and  his 
mother,  the  Dona  Joaquina,  with  the  same  kind- 
ness as  on  the  former  occasion,  and  in  a greater  de- 
gree. They  immediately  offered  all  in  their  power 
to  further  the  objects  of  our  visit,  and  to  the  last 
day  of  our  residence  in  the  country  we  continued 
to  feel  the  benefit  of  their  friendly  assistance.  For 
the  present,  the  sala  of  the  Dona  Joaquina  was  ev- 
ery evening  the  rendezvous  of  her  large  and  respect- 
able family  connexion  ; there  we  were  in  the  habit 
of  visiting  at  all  times,  and  had  reason  to  believe 
that  we  were  always  welcome  guests. 

Among  the  first  of  Don  Simon’s  good  offices  was 
a presentation  to  the  governor  of  the  state.  This 
gentleman,  by  reason  of  the  peculiar  political  posi- 
tion of  Yucatan,  occupied  at  that  time  a prominent 
and  important  position  ; but,  before  introducing  him 
to  the  reader,  it  may  not  be  amiss  to  give  a brief  ac- 


48 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


count  of  the  country  of  which  he  is  the  official 
head. 

It  may  be  remembered  that  Columbus,  in  his  first 
three  voyages,  did  not  reach  the  Continent  of  Amer- 
ica. On  his  fourth,  final,  and  ill-fated  expedition, 
“ after  sixty  days  of  tempestuous  weather,  without 
seeing  sun  or  stars,”  he  discovered  a small  island, 
called  by  the  Indians  Guanaja,  supposed  to  be  that 
now  laid  down  on  some  maps  as  the  island  of  Bon- 
aca.  While  on  shore  at  this  island,  he  saw  coming 
from  the  west  a canoe  of  large  size,  filled  with  In- 
dians, who  appeared  to  be  a more  civilized  people 
than  any  the  Spaniards  had  yet  encountered.  In 
return  to  the  inquiries  of  the  Spaniards  for  gold, 
they  pointed  toward  the  west,  and  endeavoured  to 
persuade  them  to  steer  in  that  direction. 

“Well  would  it  have  been  for  Columbus,”  says 
Mr.  Irving,  “ had  he  followed  their  advice.  Within 
a day  or  two  he  would  have  arrived  at  Yucatan ; 
the  discovery  of  Mexico  and  the  other  opulent  coun- 
tries of  New  Spain  would  have  necessarily  followed. 
The  Southern  Ocean  would  have  been  disclosed  to 
him,  and  a succession  of  splendid  discoveries  would 
have  shed  fresh  glory  on  his  declining  age,  instead 
of  its  sinking  amid  gloom,  neglect,  and  disappoint- 
ment.” 

Four  years  afterward,  in  the  year  1506,  Juan 
Dias  de  Solis,  in  company  with  Vincent  Yanez 
Pinzon,  one  of  the  companions  of  Columbus  on  his 
last  voyage,  held  the  same  course  to  the  island  of 


EARLY  VOYAGES. CORDOVA. 


49 


Guanaja,  and  then,  steering  to  the  west,  discovered 
the  east  coast  of  the  province  now  known  by  the 
name  of  Yucatan,  and  sailed  along  it  some  distance, 
without,  however,  prosecuting  the  discovery. 

On  the  eighth  of  February,  1517,  Francisco  Her- 
nandez de  Cordova,  a rich  hidalgo  of  Cuba,  with 
three  vessels  of  good  burden  and  one  hundred  and 
ten  soldiers,  set  sail  from  the  port  now  known  as 
St.  Jago  de  Cuba,  on  a voyage  of  discovery.  Doub- 
ling St.  Anton,  now  called  Cape  St.  Antonio,  and 
sailing  at  hazard  toward  the  west,  at  the  end  of 
twenty-one  days  they  sawr  land  which  had  never 
been  seen  before  by  Europeans. 

On  the  fourth  of  March,  while  making  arrange- 
ments to  land,  they  saw  coming  to  the  ships  five 
large  canoes,  with  oars  and  sails,  some  of  them  con- 
taining fifty  Indians ; and  on  signals  of  invitation  be- 
ing made,  above  thirty  came  on  board  the  captain’s 
vessel.  The  next  day  the  chief  returned  with  twelve 
large  canoes  and  numerous  Indians,  and  invited  the 
Spaniards  to  his  town,  promising  them  food,  and 
whatever  was  necessary.  The  words  he  used  were 
Conex  cotoch , which,  in  the  language  of  the  Indians 
of  the  present  day,  means,  “ Come  to  our  town.” 
Not  understanding  the  meaning,  and  supposing  it 
was  the  name  of  the  place,  the  Spaniards  called  it 
Point  or  Cape  Cotoche,  which  name  it  still  bears. 

The  Spaniards  accepted  the  invitation,  but,  see- 
ing the  shore  lined  with  Indians,  landed  in  their 

Vol.  I.— G 


5 


50 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


own  boats,  and  carried  with  them  fifteen  crossbows 
and  ten  muskets. 

After  halting  a little  while,  they  set  out,  the  chief 
leading  the  way ; and,  passing  by  a thick  wood,  at 
a signal  from  the  chief  a great  body  of  Indians  in 
ambush  rushed  out,  poured  upon  them  a shower  of 
arrows,  which  at  the  first  discharge  wounded  fifteen, 
and  then  fell  upon  them  with  their  lances ; but  the 
swords,  crossbows,  and  firearms  of  the  Spaniards 
struck  them  with  such  terror  that  they  fled  precipi- 
tately, leaving  seventeen  of  their  number  slain. 

The  Spaniards  returned  to  their  ships,  and  con- 
tinued toward  the  west,  always  keeping  in  sight  of 
land.  In  fifteen  days  they  discovered  a large  town, 
with  an  inlet  which  seemed  to  be  a river.  They 
went  ashore  for  water,  and  were  about  returning, 
when  some  fifty  Indians  came  toward  them,  dressed 
in  good  mantas  of  cotton,  and  invited  them  to  their 
town.  After  some  hesitation,  the  Spaniards  went 
with  them,  and  arrived  at  some  large  stone  houses 
like  those  they  had  seen  at  Cape  Cotoche,  on  the 
walls  of  which  were  figures  of  serpents  and  other 
idols.  These  were  their  temples,  and  about  one  of 
the  altars  were  drops  of  fresh  blood,  which  they  af- 
terward learned  was  the  blood  of  Indians,  sacrificed 
for  the  destruction  of  the  strangers. 

Hostile  preparations  of  a formidable  character 
were  soon  apparent,  and  the  Spaniards,  fearing  to 
encounter  such  a multitude,  retired  to  the  shore,  and 
embarked  with  their  water-casks.  This  place  was 


A RENCOUNTER  WITH  THE  NATIVES.  51 

called  Kimpeck,  and  at  this  day  it  is  known  by  the 
name  of  Campeachy. 

Continuing  westwardly,  they  came  opposite  a 
town  about  a league  from  the  coast,  which  was 
called  Potonchan  or  Champoton.  Being  again  in 
distress  for  water,  they  went  ashore  all  together,  and 
well  armed.  They  found  some  wells,  filled  their 
casks,  and  were  about  putting  them  into  the  boats, 
when  large  bodies  of  warlike  Indians  came  upon 
them  from  the  town,  armed  with  bows  and  arrows, 
lances,  shields,  double-handed  swords,  slings,  and 
stones,  their  faces  painted  white,  black,  and  red,  and 
their  heads  adorned  with  plumes  of  feathers.  The 
Spaniards  were  unable  to  embark  their  water-casks, 
and,  as  it  was  now  nearly  night,  they  determined  to 
remain  on  shore.  At  daylight  great  bodies  of  war- 
riors, with  colours  flying,  advanced  upon  them  from 
all  sides.  The  fight  lasted  more  than  half  an  hour ; 
fifty  Spaniards  were  killed ; and  Cordova,  seeing  that 
it  was  impossible  to  drive  back  such  a multitude, 
formed  the  rest  into  a compact  body  and  cut  his 
way  to  the  boats.  The  Indians  followed  close  at 
their  heels,  even  pursuing  them  into  the  water.  In 
the  confusion,  so  many  of  the  Spaniards  ran  to  the 
boats  together  that  they  came  near  sinking  them ; but, 
hanging  to  the  boats,  half  wading  and  half  swimming, 
they  reached  the  small  vessel,  which  came  up  to  their 
assistance.  Fifty-seven  of  their  companions  were 
killed,  and  five  more  died  of  their  wounds.  There 
was  but  one  soldier  who  escaped  unwounded ; all 


52 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


the  rest  had  two,  three,  or  four,  and  the  captain, 
Hernandez  de  Cordova,  had  twelve  arrow  wounds. 
In  the  old  Spanish  charts  this  place  is  called  the 
Bay  “ de  Mala  Pelea,”  or  “ of  the  bad  fight.” 

This  great  disaster  determined  them  to  return  to 
Cuba.  So  many  sailors  were  wounded  that  they 
could  not  man  the  three  vessels,  in  consequence  of 
which  they  burned  the  smaller  one,  and,  dividing  the 
crew  between  the  other  two,  set  sail.  To  add  to 
their  calamity,  they  had  been  obliged  to  leave  behind 
their  water-casks,  and  they  came  to  such  extremities 
with  thirst,  that  their  tongues  and  lips  cracked  open. 
On  the  coast  of  Florida  they  procured  water,  and 
when  it  was  brought  alongside  one  soldier  threw  him- 
self from  the  ship  into  the  boat,  and,  seizing  an  earth- 
en jar,  drank  till  he  swelled  and  died. 

After  this  the  vessel  of  the  captain  sprung  a leak, 
but  by  great  exertions  at  the  pumps  they  kept  her 
from  sinking,  and  brought  her  into  Puerto  C arenas, 
which  is  now  the  port  of  Havana.  Three  more  sol- 
diers died  of  their  wounds ; the  rest  dispersed,  and 
the  captain,  Hernandez  de  Cordova,  died  ten  days 
after  his  arrival.  Such  was  the  disastrous  end  of 
the  first  expedition  to  Yucatan. 

In  the  same  year,  1517,  another  expedition  was 
set  on  foot.  F our  vessels  were  fitted  out,  two  hun- 
dred and  forty  companions  enrolled  themselves,  and 
Juan  de  Grijalva,  “ a hopeful  young  man  and  well- 
behaved,”  was  named  captain-in-chief. 

On  the  sixth  of  April,  1518,  the  armament  sailed 


EXPEDITION  OF  GRIJALVA. 


53 


from  the  port  of  Matanzas  for  Yucatan.  Doubling 
Cape  San  Antonio,  and  forced  by  the  currents  farther 
down  than  its  predecessor,  they  discovered  the  Island 
of  Cozumel. 

Crossing  over,  and  sailing  along  the  coast,  they 
came  in  sight  of  Potonchan,  and  entered  the  Bay  of 
Mala  Pelea,  memorable  for  the  disastrous  repulse  of 
the  Spaniards.  The  Indians,  exulting  in  their  for- 
mer victory,  charged  upon  them  before  they  landed, 
and  fought  them  in  the  water ; but  the  Spaniards 
made  such  slaughter  that  the  Indians  fled  and  aban- 
doned the  town.  The  victory,  however,  cost  them 
dear.  Three  soldiers  were  killed,  more  than  seven- 
ty wounded,  and  Juan  de  Grijalva  was  hurt  by  three 
arrows,  one  of  which  knocked  out  two  of  his  teeth. 

Embarking  again,  and  continuing  toward  the  west, 
in  three  days  they  saw  the  mouth  of  a very  broad  riv- 
er, which,  as  Yucatan  was  then  supposed  to  be  an 
island,  they  thought  to  be  its  boundary,  and  called  the 
Boca  de  Terminos.  At  Tobasco  they  first  heard 
the  famous  name  of  Mexico;  and  after  sailing  on  to 
Culua,  now  known  as  San  Juan  de  Ulloa,  the  fort- 
ress of  Vera  Cruz,  and  some  distance  beyond  along 
the  coast,  Grijalva  returned  to  Cuba  to  add  new  fuel 
to  the  fire  of  adventure  and  discovery. 

Another  expedition  was  got  up  on  a grand  scale. 
Ten  ships  were  fitted  out,  and  it  is  creditable  to  the 
fame  of  Juan  de  Grijalva  that  all  his  old  companions 
wished  him  for  their  chief ; but,  by  a concurrence  of 
circumstances,  this  office  was  conferred  upon  Her- 


54  INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 

nando  Cortez,  then  alcalde  of  Santiago  de  Cuba,  a 
man  comparatively  unknown,  but  destined  to  be  dis- 
tinguished among  the  daring  soldiers  of  that  day  as 
the  Great  Captain,  and  to  build  up  a name  almost 
overshadowing  that  of  the  discoverer  of  America. 

The  full  particulars  of  all  these  expeditions  form 
part  and  parcel  of  the  history  of  Yucatan ; but  to 
present  them  in  detail  would  occupy  too  large  a por- 
tion of  this  work  ; and,  besides,  they  form  part  of  the 
great  chain  of  events  which  led  to  the  conquest  of 
Mexico,  the  history  of  which,  by  the  gifted  author 
of  Ferdinand  and  Isabella,  it  is  hoped,  will  soon 
adorn  the  annals  of  literature. 

Among  the  principal  captains  in  the  expeditions 
both  of  Grijalva  and  Cortez  was  Don  Francisco 
Montejo,  a gentleman  of  Seville.  After  the  arrival 
of  Cortez  in  Mexico,  and  while  he  was  prosecuting 
his  conquests  in  the  interior,  twice  it  was  consider- 
ed necessary  to  send  commissioners  to  Spain,  and 
on  both  occasions  Don  Francisco  Montejo  was  nom- 
inated, the  first  time  with  one  other,  and  the  last  time 
alone.  On  his  second  visit,  besides  receiving  a con- 
firmation of  former  grants  and  privileges,  and  a new 
coat  of  arms,  as  an  acknowledgment  of  his  distin- 
guished services  rendered  to  the  crown  in  the  expe- 
ditions of  Grijalva  and  Cortez,  he  obtained  from  the 
king  a grant  for  the  pacification  and  conquest  of  the 
islands  (as  it  is  expressed)  of  Yucatan  and  Cozu- 
mel, which  countries,  amid  the  stirring  scenes  and 


GRANT  OF  MONTEJO, 


55 


golden  prospects  of  the  conquest  of  Mexico,  had 
been  entirely  overlooked. 

This  grant  bears  date  the  eighth  day  of  December, 
1526,  and,  among  other  things,  stipulated, 

That  the  said  Don  Francisco  de  Montejo  should 
have  license  and  power  to  conquer  and  people  the 
said  islands  of  Yucatan  and  Cozumel : 

That  he  should  set  out  within  one  year  from  the 
date  of  the  instrument : 

That  he  should  be  governor  and  captain-general 
for  life : 

That  he  should  be  adelantado  for  life,  and  on  his 
death  the  office  should  descend  to  his  heirs  and  suc- 
cessors forever. 

Ten  square  leagues  of  land  and  four  per  cent,  of 
all  the  profit  or  advantage  to  be  derived  from  all  the 
lands  discovered  and  peopled  were  given  to  himself, 
his  heirs  and  successors  forever. 

Those  who  should  join  the  expedition  under  him 
were  for  the  first  three  years  to  pay  only  the  one 
tenth  part  of  the  gold  of  the  mines,  the  fourth  year 
a ninth  part,  and  the  per  centage  should  go  on  in- 
creasing till  it  reached  a fifth  part. 

They  should  be  exempted  from  export  duty  upon 
the  articles  they  carried  with  them,  provided  they 
were  not  taken  for  barter  or  sale. 

They  were  allowed  portions  of  land,  and,  after  liv- 
ing on  them  four  years  complete,  were  to  be  at  lib- 
erty to  sell  them  and  use  them  as  their  own. 

Also  to  take  rebellious  Indians  for  slaves,  and  to 


56 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


take  and  buy  Indians  held  by  the  caciques  as  slaves, 
under  the  regulations  of  the  council  of  the  Indies. 
The  tithes  or  tenth  parts  were  granted  to  be  expend- 
ed in  churches  and  ornaments,  and  things  necessary 
for  divine  worship. 

The  last  provision,  which  may  seem  rather  illib- 
eral, if  not  libellous,  was,  that  no  lawyers  or  attorneys 
should  go  into  those  lands  from  the  kingdom  of  Spain, 
nor  from  any  other  part,  on  account  of  the  litigation 
and  controversies  that  would  follow  them. 

Don  Francisco  Montejo,  now  adelantado,  is  de- 
scribed as  “ of  the  middle  stature,  of  a cheerful  coun- 
tenance, and  gay  disposition.  At  the  time  of  his  ar- 
rival here  (in  Mexico)  he  was  about  thirty-five  years 
of  age.  He  was  fitter  for  business  than  war,  and  of 
a liberal  turn,  expending  more  than  he  received 
in  which  latter  qualification  for  a great  enterprise 
he  could  perhaps  find  his  match  at  the  present  day. 

The  adelantado  incurred  great  expenses  in  the 
purchase  of  arms,  ammunition,  horses,  and  provi- 
sions ; and,  selling  an  estate,  which  yielded  him 
two  thousand  ducats  of  rent,  he  fitted  out  four  ves- 
sels at  his  own  expense,  and  embarked  in  them  four 
hundred  Spaniards,  under  an  agreement  for  a cer- 
tain share  of  the  advantages  of  the  expedition. 

In  the  year  1527  (the  month  is  not  known)  the 
armament  sailed  from  Seville,  and,  touching  at  the 
islands  for  supplies,  it  was  remarked,  as  a circum- 
stance of  bad  omen,  that  the  adelantado  had  not  on 
board  two  priests,  which,  under  a general  provision, 


EXPEDITION  OF  MONTEJO, 


57 


every  captain,  officer,  or  subject  who  had  license  to 
discover  and  people  islands  or  terra  firma  within  the 
limits  of  the  King  of  Spain,  was  bound  to  carry  with 
him. 

The  fleet  stopped  at  the  island  of  Cozumel,  where 
the  adelantado  had  great  difficulty  in  communicating 
with  the  Indians  from  w ant  of  an  interpreter.  T a- 
king  on  board  one  of  them  as  a guide,  the  fleet  cross- 
ed over  to  the  continent,  and  came  to  anchor  off  the 
coast.  All  the  Spaniards  went  on  shore,  and,  as  the 
first  act,  with  the  solemnities  usual  in  the  new  con- 
quests, took  formal  possession  of  the  country  in  the 
name  of  the  king.  Gonzalo  Nieto  planted  the  roy- 
al standard,  and  cried  out,  in  a loud  voice,  “ Espana  ! 
Espana  ! viva  Espana  !” 

Leaving  the  sailors  on  board  to  take  care  of  the 
vessel,  the  Spaniards  landed  their  arms,  ammunition, 
horses,  and  provisions,  and,  remaining  here  a few 
days  to  rest,  from  the  excessive  heat  some  became 
sick.  The  Indians  knew  that  the  Spaniards  had 
established  themselves  in  New  Spain,  and  were  de- 
termined to  resist  this  invasion  with  all  their  strength ; 
but,  for  the  moment,  they  avoided  any  hostile  demon- 
strations. 

As  yet  the  adelantado  had  only  touched  along 
the  coast,  and  knew  nothing  of  the  interior.  Expe- 
riencing great  difficulty  from  the  want  of  an  inter- 
preter, he  commenced  his  march  along  the  coast  un- 
der the  guidance  of  the  Indian  from  Cozumel.  The 
country  was  well  peopled,  and,  without  committing 
Vol.  I.—H 


58 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


any  violence  upon  the  inhabitants,  or  suffering  any 
injury  from  them,  the  Spaniards  proceeded  from 
town  to  town  until  they  arrived  at  Conil  At  this 
place,  the  Indians  being  apparently  friendly,  the 
Spaniards  were  thrown  off  their  guard;  and  on  one 
occasion,  an  Indian,  who  came  to  pay  a visit,  snatch- 
ed a hanger  from  a little  negro  slave,  and  attempted 
to  kill  the  adelantado.  The  latter  drew  his  sword 
to  defend  himself,  but  the  soldiers  rushed  forward 
and  killed  the  Indian  on  the  spot. 

The  adelantado  now  determined  to  march  from 
Conil  to  the  province  of  Choaca,  and  from  this  time 
they  began  to  experience  the  dreadful  hardships  they 
were  doomed  to  suffer  in  subduing  Yucatan.  There 
were  no  roads;  the  country  was  stony,  and  overgrown 
with  thick  woods.  Fatigued  with  the  difficulties  of 
their  march,  the  heat,  and  want  of  water,  they  arri- 
ved at  Choaca,  and  found  it  deserted:  the  inhabitants 
had  gone  to  join  other  Indians  who  were  gathering 
for  war.  No  one  appeared  to  whom  they  could  give 
notice  of  their  pacific  intentions,  and  the  tidings  that 
an  Indian  had  been  killed  had  gone  before  them. 

Setting  out  again,  still  under  the  guidance  of  the 
Cozumel  Indian,  they  reached  a town  named  Ake. 
Here  they  found  themselves  confronted  by  a great 
multitude  of  Indians,  who  had  lain  in  ambush,  con- 
cealed in  the  woods. 

These  Indians  were  armed  with  quivers  of  ar- 
rows, sticks  burned  at  the  ends,  lances  pointed  with 
sharp  flints,  and  two-handed  swords  of  very  hard 


A BLOODY  BATTLE  WITH  THE  NATIVES.  59 

wood.  They  had  flutes,  and  large  sea-sliells  for 
trumpets,  and  turtle-shells  which  they  struck  with 
deers’  horns.  Their  bodies  were  naked,  except 
around  the  loins,  and  stained  all  over  with  earth 
of  different  colours,  and  they  wore  stone  rings  in 
their  ears  and  noses. 

The  Spaniards  were  astonished  at  seeing  such 
strange  figures,  and  the  noise  that  they  made  with 
the  turtle-shells  and  horns,  accompanied  by  a shout  of 
voices,  seemed  to  make  the  hills  quake.  The  ade- 
lantado  encouraged  the  Spaniards  by  relating  his  ex- 
perience of  war  with  the  Indians,  and  a fearful  bat- 
tle commenced,  which  lasted  all  that  day.  Night 
came  to  put  an  end  to  the  slaughter,  but  the  Indians 
remained  on  the  ground.  The  Spaniards  had  time 
to  rest  and  bind  up  their  wounds,  but  kept  watch  all 
night,  with  the  dismal  prospect  of  being  destroyed 
on  the  next  day. 

At  daylight  the  battle  began  again,  and  continued 
fiercely  till  midday,  when  the  Indians  began  to  give 
way.  The  Spaniards,  encouraged  by  hope  of  victo- 
ry, pressed  them  till  they  turned  and  fled,  hiding 
themselves  in  the  woods;  but,  ignorant  of  the  ground, 
and  worn  out  with  constant  fighting,  the  victors 
could  only  make  themselves  masters  of  the  field. 
In  this  battle  more  than  twelve  hundred  Indians 
were  killed. 

In  the  beginning  of  the  year  1528,  the  adelanta- 
do  determined  again,  by  slow  marches,  to  reconnoi- 
ter  the  country ; and,  having  discovered  the  warlike 


60 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


character  of  the  inhabitants,  to  avoid  as  much  as  pos- 
sible all  conflict  with  them.  With  this  resolution, 
they  set  out  from  Ake  in  the  direction  of  Chichen 
Itza,  where,  by  kindness  and  conciliation,  they  got 
together  some  Indians,  • and  built  houses  of  wood 
and  poles  covered  with  palm  leaves. 

Here  the  adelantado  made  one  unfortunate  and 
fatal  movement.  Disheartened  by  not  seeing  any 
signs  of  gold,  and  learning  from  the  Indians  that  the 
glittering  metal  was  to  be  found  in  the  province  of 
Ba  Khalal,  the  adelantado  determined  to  send  the 
Captain  Davila  to  found  in  that  province  a town  of 
Spaniards.  Davila  set  out  with  fifty  foot-soldiers 
and  sixteen  horsemen,  and  from  the  time  of  this  sep- 
aration difficulties  and  dangers  accumulated  upon 
both.  All  efforts  to  communicate  with  each  other 
proved  abortive.  After  many  battles,  perils,  and  suf- 
ferings, those  in  Chichen  Itza  saw  themselves  redu- 
ced to  the  wretched  alternative  of  dying  by  hunger 
or  by  the  hands  of  the  Indians.  An  immense  mul- 
titude of  the  latter  having  assembled  for  their  de- 
struction, the  Spaniards  left  their  fortifications,  and 
went  out  on  the  plain  to  meet  them.  The  most  se- 
vere battle  ever  known  in  wars  with  the  Indians 
took  place.  Great  slaughter  was  made  among  them, 
but  a hundred  and  fifty  Spaniards  were  killed;  near- 
ly all  the  rest  were  wounded,  and,  worn  down  with 
fatigue,  the  survivors  retreated  to  the  fortifications. 
The  Indians  did  not  follow  them,  or,  worn  out  as 
they  were,  they  would  have  perished  miserably  to  a 


PERILOUS  SITUATION  OF  M O N T E J O.  61 

man.  At  night  the  Spaniards  escaped.  From  the 
meager  and  unsatisfactory  notices  of  these  events 
that  have  come  down  to  us,  it  is  not  known  with  ac- 
curacy by  what  route  they  reached  the  coast;  but 
the  next  that  we  hear  of  them  is  at  Campeachy. 

The  fortunes  of  Davila  were  no  better.  Arrived 
at  the  province  of  Ba  Khalal,  he  sent  a message  to 
the  Lord  of  Chemecal  to  inquire  about  gold,  and  re- 
questing a supply  of  provisions ; the  fierce  answer  of 
the  cacique  was,  that  he  would  send  fowls  on  spears, 
and  Indian  corn  on  arrows.  With  forty  men  and 
five  horses  left,  Davila  struggled  back  to  the  coast, 
and,  two  years  after  their  unfortunate  separation,  he 
joined  the  adelantado  in  Campeachy. 

Their  courage  was  still  unbroken.  Roused  by 
the  arrival  of  Davila,  the  adelantado  determined  to 
make  another  attempt  to  penetrate  the  country. 
For  this  purpose  he  again  sent  off  Davila  with  fifty 
men,  himself  remaining  in  Campeachy  with  but  for- 
ty soldiers  and  ten  horsemen.  As  soon  as  the  In- 
dians discovered  his  small  force,  an  immense  multi- 
tude gathered  round  the  camp.  Hearing  a tumult, 
the  adelantado  went  out  on  horseback,  and,  riding 
toward  a group  assembled  on  a little  hill,  cried  out, 
endeavouring  to  pacify  them  ; but  the  Indians,  turn- 
ing in  the  direction  of  the  voice,  and  recognising 
the  adelantado,  surrounded  him,  laid  hands  upon  the 
reins  of  his  horse,  and  tried  to  wrest  from  him  his 
lance.  The  adelantado  spurred  his  horse,  and  ex- 
tricated himself  for  a moment,  but  so  many  Indians 

6 


62 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


came  up  that  they  held  his  horse  fast  by  the  feet, 
took  away  his  lance,  and  endeavoured  to  carry  him 
off  alive,  intending,  as  they  afterward  said,  to  sacri- 
fice him  to  their  gods.  Bias  Gonzales  was  the  only 
soldier  near  him,  who,  seeing  his  danger,  threw  him- 
self on  horseback,  cleared  a way  through  the  In- 
dians with  his  lance,  and,  with  others  who  came  up 
at  the  moment,  rescued  the  adelantado.  Both  him- 
self and  the  brave  Gonzales  were  severely  wound- 
ed, and  the  horse  of  the  latter  died  of  his  wounds. 

About  this  time  the  fame  of  the  discovery  of  Peru 
reached  these  unlucky  conquerors,  and,  taking  ad- 
vantage of  the  opportunity  afforded  by  their  prox- 
imity to  the  coast,  many  of  the  soldiers  deserted. 
To  follow  up  the  conquest  of  Yucatan,  it  was  indis- 
pensable to  recruit  his  forces,  and  for  this  purpose 
the  adelantado  determined  on  going  to  New  Spain. 

He  had  previously  sent  information  to  the  king  of 
his  misfortunes,  and  the  king  had  despatched  a royal 
parchment  to  the  audiencia  of  Mexico,  setting  forth 
the  services  of  the  adelantado,  the  labours  and  losses 
he  had  sustained,  and  charging  them  to  give  him 
assistance  in  all  that  related  to  the  conquest  of  Yu- 
catan. With  this  favour  and  his  rents  in  New 
Spain,  he  got  together  some  soldiers,  and  bought 
vessels,  arms,  and  other  munitions  of  war,  to  pros- 
ecute his  conquest.  Unluckily,  as  Tobasco  belong- 
ed to  his  government,  and  the  Indians  of  that  prov- 
ince, who  had  been  subdued  by  Cortez,  had  revolt- 
ed, he  considered  it  advisable  first  to  reduce  them. 


SPANIARDS  ABANDON  YUCATAN.  63 

The  vessels  sailed  from  Vera  Cruz,  and,  stopping  at 
Tobasco  with  a portion  of  his  recruits,  he  sent  on 
the  vessels  with  the  rest,  under  the  command  of  his 
son,  to  prosecute  the  conquest  in  Yucatan. 

But  the  adelantado  found  it  much  more  difficult 
than  he  expected  to  reduce  the  Indians  of  Tobasco ; 
and  while  he  was  engaged  in  it,  the  Spaniards  in 
Campeachy,  instead  of  being  able  to  penetrate  into 
the  country,  were  undergoing  great  sufferings.  The 
Indians  cut  off  their  supplies  of  provisions,  and, 
being  short  of  sustenance,  nearly  all  became  ill. 
They  were  obliged  to  make  constant  sorties  to  pro- 
cure food,  and  it  was  necessary  to  let  the  horses  go 
loose,  though  at  the  risk  of  their  being  killed. 
They  were  reduced  so  low  that  but  five  soldiers 
remained  to  watch  over  and  provide  for  the  rest. 
Finding  it  impossible  to  hold  out  any  longer,  they 
determined  to  abandon  the  place.  Gonzales  Nieto, 
who  first  planted  the  royal  standard  on  the  shores 
of  Yucatan,  was  the  last  to  leave  it,  and  in  the  year 
1535  not  a single  Spaniard  remained  in  the  country. 

It  was  now  notorious  that  the  adelantado  had 
not  fulfilled  the  order  to  carry  with  him  priests,  and, 
by  many  of  the  daring  but  devout  spirits  of  that 
day,  his  want  of  success  in  Yucatan  was  ascribed 
to  this  cause.  The  viceroy  of  Mexico,  in  the  ex- 
ercise of  the  discretion  allowed  under  a rescript 
from  the  queen,  determined  forthwith  to  send 
priests,  who  should  conquer  the  country  by  con- 
verting the  Indians  to  Christianity. 


64 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


The  venerable  Franciscan  friar,  Jacobo  de  Fes- 
tera,  although  superior  and  prelate  of  the  rich  prov- 
ince of  Mexico,  zealous,  says  the  historian,  for  the 
conversion  of  souls,  and  desirous  to  reduce  the 
whole  world  to  the  knowledge  of  the  true  God,  of- 
fered himself  for  this  spiritual  conquest,  expecting 
many  hardships,  and  doubtful  of  the  result.  Four 
persons  of  the  same  order  were  assigned  as  his 
companions ; and,  attended  by  some  friendly  Mex- 
icans who  had  been  converted  to  Christianity,  on 
the  eighth  of  March  they  arrived  at  Champoton, 
famed  for  the  “ mala  pelea,”  or  bad  fight,  of  the 
Spaniards. 

The  Mexicans  went  before  them  to  give  notice 
of  their  coming,  and  to  say  that  they  came  in  the 
spirit  of  peace,  few  in  number,  and  without  arms, 
caring  only  for  the  salvation  of  souls,  and  to  make 
known  to  the  people  the  true  God,  whom  they  ought 
to  worship.  The  lords  of  Champoton  received  the 
Mexican  messengers  amicably,  and,  satisfied  that 
they  could  run  but  little  risk,  allowed  the  mission- 
aries to  enter  their  country.  Regardless  of  the  con- 
cerns of  this  world,  says  the  historian,  and  irre- 
proachable in  their  lives,  they  prevailed  upon  the 
Indians  to  listen  to  their  preaching,  and  in  a few 
days  enjoyed  the  fruit  of  their  labours.  This  fruit, 
he  adds,  “was  not  so  great  as  if  they  had  had  in- 
terpreters familiar  with  the  idiom ; but  the  divine 
grace  and  the  earnestness  of  these  ministers  were  so 
powerful  that,  after  forty  days’  communication,  the 


EFFORTS  TO  CONVERT  THE  NATIVES.  65 

lords  brought  voluntarily  all  their  idols,  and  deliver- 
ed them  to  the  priests  to  be  burned and,  as  the 
best  proof  of  their  sincerity,  they  brought  their  chil- 
dren, whom,  says  the  Bishop  Las  Casas,  they  cher- 
ished more  than  the  light  of  their  eyes,  to  be  indoc- 
trinated and  taught.  Every  day  they  became  more 
attached  to  the  padres,  built  them  houses  to  live  in, 
and  a temple  for  worship ; and  one  thing  occurred 
which  had  never  happened  before.  Twelve  or  fif- 
teen lords,  with  great  territories  and  many  vassals, 
with  the  consent  of  their  people,  voluntarily  ac- 
knowledged the  dominion  of  the  King  of  Castile. 
This  agreement,  under  their  signs  and  attested  by 
the  monks,  the  bishop  says  he  had  in  his  possession. 

At  this  time,  when,  from  such  great  beginnings,  the 
conversion  of  the  whole  kingdom  of  Yucatan  seem- 
ed almost  certain,  there  happened  (to  use,  as  near  as 
possible,  the  language  of  the  historian)  the  greatest 
disaster  that  the  devil,  greedy  of  souls,  could  desire. 
Eighteen  horsemen  and  twelve  foot-soldiers,  fugitives 
from  New  Spain,  entered  the  country  from  some 
quarter,  bringing  with  them  loads  of  idols,  which 
they  had  carried  off  from  other  provinces.  The 
captain  called  to  him  a lord  of  that  part  of  the  coun- 
try by  which  he  entered,  and  told  him  to  take  the 
idols  and  distribute  them  throughout  the  country, 
selling  each  one  for  an  Indian  man  or  woman  to 
serve  as  a slave,  and  adding,  that  if  the  lord  refused 
to  do  so,  he  would  immediately  make  war  upon 
them.  The  lord  commanded  his  vassals  to  take 

Vol.  I.— I 


66 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


these  idols  and  worship  them,  and  in  return  to  give 
him  Indian  men  and  women  to  be  delivered  to  the 
Spaniards.  The  Indians,  from  fear  and  respect  to 
the  command  of  their  lord,  obeyed.  Whoever  had 
two  children  gave  one,  and  whoever  had  three  gave 
two. 

In  the  mean  time,  seeing  that,  after  they  had  given 
up  their  gods  to  be  burned,  these  Spaniards  brought 
others  to  sell,  the  whole  country  broke  out  in  indig- 
nation against  the  monks,  whom  they  accused  of 
deceiving  them.  The  monks  endeavoured  to  ap- 
pease them,  and,  seeking  out  the  thirty  Spaniards, 
represented  to  them  the  great  evil  they  were  doing, 
and  required  them  to  leave  the  country ; but  the 
Spaniards  refused,  and  consummated  their  wicked- 
ness by  telling  the  Indians  that  the  priests  them- 
selves had  induced  them  to  come  into  the  country. 
The  Indians  were  now  roused  beyond  all  forbear- 
ance, and  determined  to  murder  the  priests,  who, 
having  notice  of  this  intention,  escaped  at  night. 
Very  soon,  however,  the  Indians  repented,  and,  re- 
membering the  purity  of  their  lives,  and  satisfied  of 
their  innocence,  they  sent  after  the  monks  fifty 
leagues,  and  begged  them  to  return.  The  monks, 
zealous  only  for  their  souls,  forgave  them  and  re- 
turned; but,  finding  that  the  Spaniards  would  not 
leave  the  country,  and  that  they  were  constantly 
aggrieving  the  Indians,  and  especially  that  they 
could  not  preach  in  peace,  nor  without  continual 
dread,  they  determined  to  leave  the  country  and  re- 


MONTEJO  JOINED  BY  NIETO. 


67 


turn  to  Mexico.  Thus  Yucatan  remained  without 
the  light  and  help  of  the  doctrine,  and  the  miserable 
Indians  in  the  darkness  of  ignorance. 

Such  is  the  account  of  the  mission  of  these  monks 
given  by  the  old  Spanish  historians,  but  the  cautious 
reader  of  the  present  day  will  hardly  credit  that 
these  good  priests,  “ ignorant  of  the  language,  and 
without  interpreters  who  understood  the  idiom,” 
could  in  forty  days  bring  the  Indians  to  throw  their 
idols  at  their  feet ; and  still  less,  that  this  warlike 
people,  who  had  made  such  fierce  resistance  to  Cor- 
dova, Grijalva,  Cortez,  and  the  adelantado,  would  all 
at  once  turn  cravens  before  thirty  vagabond  Span- 
iards ; but,  says  the  historian,  these  are  secrets  of 
Divine  justice  ; perhaps  for  their  many  sins  they  did 
not  deserve  that  at  that  time  the  word  should  be 
preached  to  them. 

We  return  now  to  the  adelantado,  whom  we  left 
at  Tobasco.  Severe  wars  with  the  Indians,  want 
of  arms  and  provisions,  and,  above  all,  desertions  in- 
stigated by  the  fame  of  Peruvian  riches,  had  left  him 
at  a low  ebb.  In  this  situation  he  was  joined  by 
Captain  Gonzalo  Nieto  and  the  small  band  which 
had  been  compelled  to  evacuate  Yucatan,  and  by  the 
presence  of  these  old  companions  his  spirits  were 
again  roused. 

But  the  pacification  of  Tobasco  was  much  more 
difficult  than  was  supposed.  By  communication 
with  the  Spaniards,  the  Indians  had  lost  their  fears 
of  them.  The  country  was  bad  for  carrying  on 


68 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


war,  particularly  with  cavalry,  *on » account  of  the 
marshes  and  pools ; their  provisions  were  again  cut 
off ; many  of  the  soldiers  went  away  disgusted,  and 
others,  from  the  great  humidity  and  heat,  sickened 
and  died. 

While  they  were  in  this  extremity,  the  Captain 
Diego  de  Contreras,  with  no  fixed  destination,  and 
ready  to  embark  in  any  of  the  great  enterprises 
which  at  that  time  attracted  the  adventurous  soldier, 
arrived  at  the  port.  He  had  with  him  a vessel  of 
his  own,  with  provisions  and  other  necessaries,  his 
son,  and  twenty  Spaniards.  The  adelantado  repre- 
sented to  him  the  great  service  he  might  render  the 
king,  and  by  promises  of  reward  induced  him  to  re- 
main. With  this  assistance  he  was  enabled  to  sus- 
tain himself  in  T obasco  until,  having  received  addi- 
tional re-enforcements,  he  effected  the  pacification 
of  the  whole  of  that  country. 

The  adelantado  now  made  preparations  to  return 
to  Yucatan.  Champoton  Was  selected  as  the  place 
of  disembarcation.  According  to  some  of  the  his- 
torians, he  did  not  himself  embark  on  this  expedi- 
tion, but  sent  his  son.  It  seems  more  certain,  how- 
ever, that  he  went  in  person  as  commander-in-chief 
of  the  armada,  and  leaving  his  son,  Don  Francisco 
de  Montejo,  in  command  of  the  soldiers,  returned  to 
Tobasco,  as  being  nearer  to  Mexico,  from  which 
country  he  expected  to  receive  and  send  on  more 
recruits  and  necessaries.  The  Spaniards  landed 
some  time  in  the  year  1537,  and  again  planted  the 


SECOND  ATTEMPT  TO  REDUCE  YUCATAN.  69 

royal  standard  in  Yucatan.  The  Indians  allowed 
them  to  land  without  noise  or  opposition,  but  they 
were  only  lying  in  wait  for  an  opportunity  to  de- 
stroy them.  In  a few  days  a great  multitude  assem- 
bled, and  at  midnight  they  crept  silently  up  the 
paths  and  roads  which  led  to  the  camp  of  the  Span- 
iards, seized  one  of  the  sentinels,  and  killed  him ; 
but  the  noise  awoke  the  Spaniards,  who,  wondering 
less  at  the  attack  than  at  its  being  made  by  night, 
rushed  to  their  arms.  Ignorant  as  they  were  of  the 
ground,  in  the  darkness  all  was  confusion.  On  the 
east,  west,  and  south  they  heard  the  clamour  and 
outcries  of  the  Indians.  Nevertheless,  they  made 
great  efforts,  and  the  Indians,  finding  their  men  fall- 
ing, and  hearing  the  groans  of  the  wounded  and  dy- 
ing, relaxed  in  the  fury  of  their  attack,  and  at  length 
retreated.  The  Spaniards  did  not  pursue  them,  but 
remained  in  the  camp,  keeping  watch  till  daylight, 
when  they  collected  and  buried  the  bodies  of  their 
own  dead. 

For  some  days  the  Indians  did  not  make  any  hos- 
tile demonstrations,  but  they  kept  away  or  conceal- 
ed as  much  as  possible  all  supplies  of  provisions. 
The  Spaniards  were  much  straitened,  and  obliged 
to  sustain  themselves  by  catching  fish  along  the 
shores.  On  one  occasion  two  Spaniards,  who  had 
straggled  to  some  distance  from  the  camp,  fell  into 
the  hands  of  the  Indians,  \vho  carried  them  away 
alive,  sacrificed  them  to  their  idols,  and  feasted  upon 
their  bodies. 


70 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


During  this  time  the  Indians  were  forming  a great 
league  of  all  the  caciques  in  the  country,  and  gath- 
ered in  immense  numbers  at  Champoton.  As  soon 
as  all  the  confederates  were  assembled,  they  attack- 
ed with  a horrible  noise  the  camp  of  the  Spaniards, 
who  could  not  successfully  contend  against  such  a 
multitude.  Many  Indians  fell,  but  they  counted  as 
well  lost  a thousand  of  their  own  number  for  the  life 
of  one  Spaniard.  There  was  no  hope  but  in  flight, 
and  the  Spaniards  retreated  to  the  shore.  The  In- 
dians pursued  them,  heaping  insults  upon  them,  en- 
tered their  camp,  loaded  themselves  with  the  cloth- 
ing and  other  things,  which  in  the  hurry  of  retreat 
they  had  been  obliged  to  leave  behind,  put  on  their 
dresses,  and  from  the  shore  mocked  and  scoffed  at 
them,  pointing  with  their  fingers,  taunting  them  with 
cowardice,  and  crying  out,  “Where  is  the  courage 
of  the  Spaniards  ?”  The  latter,  hearing  from  their 
boats  these  insults,  resolved  that  death  and  fame 
were  better  than  life  and  ignominy,  and,  wounded 
and  worn  out  as  they  were,  took  up  their  arms  and 
returned  to  the  shore.  Another  fierce  battle  ensu- 
ed; and  the  Indians,  dismayed  by  the  resolution 
with  which  these  vanquished  men  again  made  front 
against  them,  retired  slowly,  leaving  the  Spaniards 
masters  of  the  field.  The  Spaniards  cared  for  no 
more,  content  to  recover  the  ground  they  had  lost. 

From  this  time  the  Indians  determined  not  to  give 
battle  again,  and  the  great  multitude,  brought  to- 
gether from  different  places,  dispersed,  and  returned 


CRITICAL  SITUATION  OF  THE  SPANIARDS.  71 

to  their  homes.  The  Spaniards  remained  more  at 
their  ease.  The  Indians,  seeing  that  they  could 
not  be  driven  out  of  the  country,  and  did  not  intend 
to  leave  it,  contracted  a sort  of  friendship  with  them, 
but  they  were  not  able  to  make  any  advances  into 
the  interior.  On  every  attempt  they  were  so  badly 
received  that  they  were  compelled  to  return  to  their 
camp  in  Champoton,  which  was,  in  fact,  their  only 
refuge. 

As  Champoton  was  on  the  coast,  which  now  be- 
gan to  be  somewhat  known,  vessels  occasionally 
touched  there,  from  which  the  poor  Spaniards  re- 
lieved some  of  their  necessities.  Occasionally  a 
new  companion  remained,  but  their  numbers  still  di- 
minished, many,  seeing  the  delay  and  the  little  fruit 
derived  from  their  labours,  abandoning  the  expedi- 
tion. The  time  came  when  there  were  only  nine- 
teen Spaniards  in  Champoton,  the  names  of  some 
of  whom  are  still  preserved,  and  they  affirm  in  their 
judicial  declaration,  that  in  this  critical  situation 
they  owed  their  preservation  to  the  prudence  and 
good  management  of  Don  Francisco  Montejo,  the 
son  of  the  adelantado. 

Again  they  were  relieved,  and  again  their  force 
dwindled  away.  The  fame  of  the  riches  of  Peru  was 
in  every  mouth.  The  poverty  of  Yucatan  was  no- 
torious. There  were  no  mines ; there  was  but  little 
encouragement  for  others  to  join  the  expedition,  and 
those  in  Champoton  were  discouraged.  Struggling 
with  continual  hardships  and  dangers,  they  made  no 


72 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


advance  toward  the  conquest  of  the  country ; all 
who  could,  endeavoured  to  get  away,  some  going  in 
canoes,  others  by  land,  as  occasion  offered.  In  or- 
der to  confer  upon  some  means  of  bettering  the  con- 
dition of  things,  it  was  necessary  for  the  son  of  the 
adelantado  to  visit  his  father  at  T obasco,  and  he  set 
out,  leaving  the  soldiers  at  Champoton  under  the 
command  of  his  cousin,  a third  Don  Francisco. 

During  his  absence  matters  became  worse.  The 
people  continued  going  away,  and  Don  Francisco 
knew  that  if  they  lost  Champoton,  which  had  cost 
them  so  much,  all  was  lost.  Consulting  with  a few 
who  were  most  desirous  of  persevering  in  the  enter- 
prise, he  brought  together  those  who  were  suspected 
of  meditating  desertion,  and  told  them  to  go  at  once, 
and  leave  the  rest  to  their  fate.  The  poor  soldiers, 
embarrassed,  and  ashamed  at  being  confronted  with 
companions  whom  they  intended  to  desert,  deter- 
mined to  remain. 

But  the  succour  so  earnestly  hoped  for  was  de- 
layed. All  the  expedition  which  the  son  of  the  ad- 
elantado could  make  was  not  sufficient  for  those 
who  remained  in  Champoton.  They  had  been 
nearly  three  years  without  making  any  advances  or 
any  impression  upon  the  country.  Despairing  of  its 
conquest,  and  unable  to  exist  in  the  straits  in  which 
they  found  themselves,  they  talked  openly  of  dis- 
banding, and  going  where  fortune  might  lead  them. 
The  captain  did  all  that  he  could  to  encourage 
them,  but  in  vain.  All  had  their  luggage  and  ship- 


DESPERATE  CONDITION  OF  SPANIARDS.  73 

stores  ready  to  embark,  and  nothing  was  talked  of 
but  leaving  the  country. 

The  exertions  of  the  captain  induced  them  to  take 
better  counsel,  and  they  agreed  not  to  execute  their 
resolution  hastily,  but,  to  save  themselves  from  inju- 
rious imputations,  first  to  send  notice  of  their  inten- 
tion to  the  adelantado.  Juan  de  Contreras  was  sent 
with  the  despatches,  who  gave  the  adelantado,  be- 
sides, a full  account  of  the  desperate  condition  in 
which  they  remained  at  Champoton. 

His  intelligence  gave  the  adelantado  much  anx- 
iety. All  his  resources  were  exhausted ; he  had 
been  unable  to  procure  the  succour  necessary,  and 
he  knew  that  if  the  Spaniards  abandoned  Champo- 
ton, it  would  be  impossible  to  prosecute  the  conquest 
of  Yucatan.  Aware  of  their  necessities,  when  the 
news  arrived,  he  had  some  Spaniards  collected  to  go 
to  their  assistance,  and  now,  by  gifts  and  promises, 
he  made  some  additions ; and  while  waiting  until 
these  could  be  got  ready,  despatched  Alonzo  Rosa- 
do, one  of  the  new  recruits,  to  give  notice  of  the 
succour  at  hand. 

It  does  not  appear  whether  the  adelantado  went 
to  Champoton  in  person,  but  vessels  arrived  carry- 
ing soldiers,  provisions,  clothing,  and  arms,  and  to- 
ward the  end  of  the  year  1539  his  son  returned, 
with  twenty  horsemen,  from  New  Spain.  The 
drooping  spirits  of  the  Spaniards  were  revived,  and 
again  they  conceived  hopes  of  achieving  the  con- 
quest of  the  country. 

Vol.  I.— K 


7 


74 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


About  this  time,  too,  the  adelantado,  grieving  over 
the  common  misfortune  of  himself  and  those  who 
had  been  constant  and  enduring,  but  doubting  his 
own  fortune,  and  confiding  in  the  valour  of  his  son 
Don  Francisco,  determined  to  put  into  the  hands  of 
the  latter  the  pacification  of  Yucatan.  He  was  at 
that  time  settled  in  the  government  of  Chiapas,  to 
which  place  he  summoned  his  son,  and  by  a formal 
act  substituted  him  in  all  the  powers  given  to  him- 
self by  the  king.  The  act  of  substitution  is  cred- 
itable alike  to  the  head  and  heart  of  the  adelantado. 
It  begins  with  an  injunction  “ that  he  should  strive 
that  the  people  under  his  charge  should  live  and  be 
as  true  Christians,  separating  themselves  from  vices 
and  public  sins,  not  permitting  them  to  speak  ill  of 
God,  nor  his  blessed  mother,  nor  the  saints  and  it 
concludes  with  the  words,  “ because  I know  that 
you  are  a person  who  will  know  how  to  do  it  well, 
putting  first  God  our  Lord,  and  the  service  of  his 
majesty,  and  the  good  of  the  country,  and  the  exe- 
cution of  justice.” 

Within  a month  from  the  time  when  he  was  call- 
ed away  by  his  father,  Don  Francisco  returned  to 
Champoton  with  all  the  provisions  necessary  for 
prosecuting,  on  his  own  account,  the  conquest  of 
Yucatan.  From  this  time  the  door  of  better  fortune 
seemed  opened  to  the  Spaniards. 

Don  Francisco  determined  forthwith  to  undertake 
the  march  to  Campeachy.  At  a short  distance  from 
Champoton  they  encountered  a large  body  of  In- 


SUCCESS  OF  THE  SPANIARDS.  75 

dians,  routed  them,  and,  determined  not  to  make 
any  retrograde  movement,  encamped  upon  the  spot. 

From  this  place  the  Indians,  mortified  and  in- 
censed at  their  defeat,  erected  fortifications  along  the 
whole  line  of  march.  The  Spaniards  could  not  ad- 
vance without  encountering  walls,  trenches,  and  em- 
bankments, vigorously  defended.  All  these  they 
gained  in  succession  ; and  so  great  was  the  slaugh- 
ter of  the  Indians,  that  at  times  their  dead  bodies 
obstructed  the  battle,  and  the  Spaniards  were  obliged 
to  pass  over  the  dead  to  fight  with  the  living.  In 
one  day  they  had  three  battles,  in  which  the  Span- 
iards were  almost  worn  out  with  fighting. 

Here,  again,  the  history  fails,  and  it  does  not  ap- 
pear how  they  were  received  in  Campeachy  ; but  it 
is  manifest  from  other  authorities  that  in  the  year 
1540  they  founded  a city  under  the  name  of  San 
Francisco  de  Campeche. 

Remaining  in  this  place  till  things  were  settled, 
Don  F rancisco,  in  pursuance  of  his  father’s  instruc- 
tions, determined  on  descending  to  the  province  of 
Qnepech,  and  founding  a city  in  the  Indian  town 
of  Tilioo.  Knowing  that  delay  was  dangerous,  he 
sent  forward  the  Captain  Francisco  de  Montejo,  his 
cousin,  with  fifty-seven  men.  He  himself  remained 
in  Campeachy  to  receive  and  organize  the  soldiers, 
who,  stimulated  by  the  tidings  of  his  improving  for- 
tunes, were  every  day  coming  in  from  his  father. 

Don  Francisco  set  out  for  Tihoo,  and  in  all  the 
accounts  there  is  a uniform  correspondence  in  re- 


76 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


gard  to  the  many  dangers  they  encountered  on  that 
journey  from  the  smallness  of  their  numbers,  the 
great  multitudes  of  warlike  Indians,  and  the  strong 
walls  and  other  defences  which  they  found  at  every 
step  to  obstruct  their  progress.  The  Indians  con- 
cealed the  wells  and  ponds,  and  as  there  were  no 
streams  or  fountains,  they  were  perishing  with  thirst. 
Provisions  were  cut  off,  and  they  had  war,  thirst, 
and  hunger  on  their  path.  The  roads  were  mere 
narrow  passes,  with  thick  woods  on  both  sides, 
encumbered  with  the  dead  bodies  of  men  and  ani- 
mals, and  their  sufferings  from  want  of  water  and 
provisions  were  almost  beyond  endurance. 

Arriving  at  a town  called  Pokboc,  they  pitched 
and  fortified  their  camp,  with  the  intention  of  ma- 
king a halt,  but  at  night  they  were  roused  by  find- 
ing the  camp  on  fire.  All  ran  to  arms,  thinking  less 
of  the  fire  than  of  the  Indians,  and  in  darkness  and 
silence  waited  to  discover  the  quarter  whence  the 
attack  would  come ; but  hearing  no  noise,  and  re- 
lieved from  the  apprehension  of  enemies,  they  at- 
tempted to  extinguish  the  flames.  By  this  time, 
however,  the  whole  camp,  and  almost  everything 
that  they  had,  were  burned  up.  But  they  were  not 
dismayed.  The  captain  gave  notice  of  this  misfor- 
tune to  his  cousin  in  Campeachy,  and  resumed  his 
march.  In  the  year  1540  he  arrived  at  Tihoo. 

In  a few  days  he  was  joined  by  forty  other  Span- 
iards, who  were  sent  on  by  Don  Francisco  Montejo, 
and  at  this  time  some  Indians  came  to  them  and 


SUBMISSION  OF  SOME  CACIQUES.  77 

said,  “ What  are  you  doing  here,  Spaniards  ? more 
Indians  are  coming  against  you,  more  than  there  are 
hairs  on  the  skin  of  a deer.”  The  Spaniards  an- 
swered that  they  would  go  out  to  seek  them ; and, 
leaving  the  guard  in  the  camp,  the  Captain  Don 
Francisco  Montejo  immediately  set  out,  came  upon 
them  at  a place  five  leagues  distant,  and  attacked 
them  with  such  vigour,  that,  though  they  at  first  de- 
fended themselves  bravely,  the  Spaniards  gained 
upon  them,  and  killing  many,  the  rest  became  dis- 
heartened and  took  to  flight. 

In  the  mean  time  the  son  of  the  adelantado  ar- 
rived from  Cainpeachy ; and  being  now  all  united, 
and  the  Indians  at  first  withholding  all  supplies,  they 
very  soon  began  to  suffer  from  want  of  provisions. 
While  in  this  condition,  unexpectedly  a great  ca- 
cique from  the  interior  came  to  them  voluntarily  (the 
circumstances  will  appear  hereafter)  and  made  sub- 
mission. Some  neighbouring  caciques  of  Tihoo, 
either  moved  by  this  example,  or  finding  that, 
after  so  many  years  of  war,  they  could  not  prevail 
against  the  Spaniards,  also  submitted.  Encouraged 
by  the  friendship  of  these  caciques,  and  believing 
that  they  might  count  upon  their  succour  until  they 
had  finished  the  subjection  of  the  country,  the  Span- 
iards determined  to  found  a city  on  the  site  oc- 
cupied by  Tihoo;  but  in  the  mean  time  a terrific 
storm  was  gathering  over  their  heads.  All  the  In- 
dians from  the  east  of  Tihoo  were  drawing  togeth- 
er; and  in  the  month  of  June,  toward  the  evening 


78  INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 

of  the  feast  of  Barnaby  the  apostle,  an  immense 
body,  varying,  according  to  manuscript  accounts, 
from  forty  to  seventy  thousand,  came  down  upon  the 
small  band  of  a little  more  than  two  hundred  then 
in  Tihoo.  The  following  day  they  attacked  the 
Spanish  camp  on  all  sides.  The  most  terrible  battle 
the  Spaniards  had  ever  encountered  ensued.  “ Di- 
vine power,”  says  the  pious  historian,  “ works  more 
than  human  valour.  What  were  so  few  Catholics 
against  so  many  infidels  V ’ The  battle  lasted  the 
greater  part  of  the  day.  Many  Indians  were  killed, 
but  immediately  others  took  their  places,  for  they 
were  so  many  that  they  were  like  the  leaves  on  the 
trees.  The  arquebuses  and  crossbows  made  great 
havoc,  and  the  horsemen  carried  destruction  wher- 
ever they  moved,  cutting  down  the  fugitives,  tram- 
pling under  foot  the  wounded  and  dying.  Piles  of 
dead  bodies  stopped  the  Spaniards  in  their  pursuit. 
The  Indians  were  completely  routed,  and  for  a great 
distance  the  ground  was  covered  with  their  dead. 

The  fame  of  the  Spaniards  rose  higher  than  be- 
fore, and  the  Indians  never  rallied  again  for  a gen- 
eral battle.  All  this  year  the  invaders  were  occu- 
pied in  drawing  to  them  and  conciliating  the  neigh- 
bouring caciques,  and  on  the  sixth  of  January,  1542, 
they  founded,  with  all  legal  formalities,  on  the  site 
of  the  Indian  town  of  Tihoo,  the  “ very  loyal  and 
noble”  city  of  Merida. 

Here  I shall  leave  them ; and  I make  no  apolo- 
gy for  presenting  this  history.  It  was  forty  years 


COGOLLUDO’S  HISTORY  OF  YUCATAN.  79 

since  a straggling  canoe  at  the  island  of  Guanaja 
first  gave  intelligence  of  the  existence  of  such  a 
country  as  Yucatan,  and  sixteen  since  Don  Fran- 
cisco Montejo  received  the  royal  authority  to  con- 
quer and  people  it.  During  that  time  Cortez  had 
driven  Montezuma  from  the  throne  of  Mexico,  and 
Pizarro  had  seized  the  sceptre  of  the  Peruvian  In- 
cas. In  the  glory  of  these  conquests  Yucatan  was 
unnoticed,  and  has  been  to  this  day.  The  ancient 
historians  refer  to  it  briefly  and  but  seldom.  The 
only  separate  account  of  it  is  that  of  Cogolludo,  a 
native  historian. 

The  work  of  this  author  was  published  in  the  year 
1658.  It  is  voluminous,  confused,  and  ill-digested, 
and  might  almost  be  called  a history  of  the  Francis- 
can Friars,  to  which  order  he  belonged.  It  is  from 
this  work  principally  that,  with  no  small  labour,  I 
have  gathered  the  events  subsequent  to  the  grant 
made  by  the  king  to  Don  Francisco  Montejo  ; it  is 
the  only  work  that  purports  to  give  an  account  of 
those  events,  and  as  it  has  never  been  translated,  and 
is  scarcely  known  out  of  Yucatan,  and  even  in  that 
country  is  almost  out  of  print,  it  must  at  least  be  new 
to  the  reader. 


80 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

Political  State  of  Yucatan. — Alliance  with  Texas. — Presentation 
to  the  Governor. — His  Character  and  Personal  Appearance. — 
A Cordial  Reception. — An  Arrival  of  Strangers. — A Citizen  of 
the  World. — Another  old  Acquaintance. — Population  of  Meri- 
da.— Climate. — General  Aspect  of  Merida. — An  interesting  Ed- 
ifice.— Mode  of  naming  Streets.— Sculptured  Figures. — Church- 
es.— Franciscan  Convent  — A Memorial  of  the  Past. — Ruined 
Cities  of  America. — Former  Conclusions  confirmed. 

From  the  time  of  the  conquest,  Yucatan  existed 
as  a distinct  captain-generalcy,  not  connected  with 
Guatimala,  nor  subject  to  the  viceroy  of  Mexico. 
So  it  continued  down  to  the  Mexican  revolution. 
The  independence  of  Yucatan  followed  that  of  Mex- 
ico without  any  struggle,  and  actually  by  default  of 
the  mother-country  in  not  attempting  to  keep  it  in 
subjection. 

Separated  from  Spain,  in  an  evil  hour  Yucatan 
sent  commissioners  to  Mexico  to  deliberate  upon 
forming  a government ; and  on  the  return  of  these 
commissioners,  and  on  their  report,  she  gave  up  her 
independent  position,  and  entered  into  the  Mexican 
confederation  as  one  of  the  states  of  that  republic. 
Ever  since  she  had  been  suffering  from  this  unhap- 
py connexion,  and,  a short  time  before  our  former 
visit,  a revolution  broke  out  all  over  the  country ; 
in  the  successful  progress  of  which,  during  that  visit, 
the  last  Mexican  garrison  was  driven  out  of  Yuca- 
tan. The  state  assumed  the  rights  of  sovereignty, 
asserting  its  independent  powers,  at  the  same  time 


POLITICAL  STATE  OF  YUCATAN.  81 

not  disconnecting  itself  entirely  from  Mexico,  but 
declaring  itself  still  a component  part  of  that  repub- 
lic upon  certain  conditions.  The  declaration  of  its 
independence  was  still  a moot  question.  The  as- 
sembly had  passed  a bill  to  that  effect,  but  the  sen- 
ate had  not  yet  acted  upon  it,  and  its  fate  in  that 
body  was  considered  doubtful.  In  the  mean  time,  a 
commissioner  had  been  sent  to  T exas,  and  two  days 
after  our  arrival  at  Merida  the  Texan  schooner  of 
war  San  Antonio  arrived  at  Sisal,  bringing  a propo- 
sition for  Yucatan  to  pay  $8000  per  month  toward 
the  support  of  the  Texan  navy,  and  for  the  Texan 
vessels  to  remain  upon  the  coast  of  Yucatan  and 
protect  it  against  invasion  by  Mexico.  This  prop- 
osition was  accepted  immediately,  and  negotiations 
were  pending  for  farther  co-operation  in  procuring 
a recognition  of  their  mutual  independence.  Thus, 
while  shrinking  from  an  open  declaration  of  inde- 
pendence, Yucatan  was  widening  the  breach,  and 
committing  an  offence  which  Mexico  could  never 
forgive,  by  an  alliance  with  a people  whom  that  gov- 
ernment, or  rather  Santa  Ana,  regarded  as  the  worst 
of  rebels,  and  whom  he  was  bent  upon  exerting  the 
whole  power  of  the  country  in  an  effort  to  recon- 
quer. Such  was  the  disjointed  and  false  position  in 
which  Yucatan  stood  at  the  time  of  our  presentation 
to  the  governor. 

Our  visit  to  him  was  made  at  his  private  residence, 
which  was  one  befitting  his  station  as  a private  gen- 
tleman, and  not  unworthy  of  his  public  character. 

Vol.  I.— L 


82 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


His  reception-room  was  in  the  sala  or  parlour  of  his 
house,  in  the  centre  of  which,  after  the  fashion  of 
Merida,  three  or  four  large  chairs  covered  with  mo- 
rocco were  placed  facing  each  other. 

Don  Santiago  Mendez  was  about  fifty  years  of 
age,  tall  and  thin,  with  a fine  intellectual  face,  and 
of  very  gentlemanly  appearance  and  deportment. 
Free  from  internal  wars,  and  saved  by  her  geograph- 
ical position  from  the  sanguinary  conflicts  common 
in  the  other  Mexican  states,  Yucatan  has  had  no 
school  for  soldiers ; there  are  no  military  chieftains 
and  no  prepossessions  for  military  glory.  Don  San- 
tiago Mendez  was  a merchant,  until  within  a few 
years,  at  the  head  of  a respectable  commercial  house 
in  Campeachy.  He  was  so  respected  for  upright- 
ness and  integrity,  that  in  the  unsettled  state  of  af- 
fairs he  was  agreed  upon  by  the  two  opposite  par- 
ties as  the  best  person  in  the  state  to  place  at  the 
head  of  the  government.  His  popularity,  however, 
was  now  somewhat  on  the  wane,  and  his  position 
was  neither  easy  nor  enviable.  From  a quiet  life 
and  occupations,  he  found  himself  all  at  once  in  the 
front  rank  of  a wide-spread  rebellion.  An  inva- 
sion from  Mexico  was  constantly  apprehended,  and 
should  it  prove  successful,  while  others  would  es- 
cape by  reason  of  their  insignificance,  his  head 
would  be  sure  to  fall.  The  two  great  parties,  one 
in  favour  of  keeping  open  the  door  of  reconciliation 
with  Mexico,  and  the  other  for  immediate  and  ab- 
solute separation,  were  both  urging  him  to  carry  out 


A CORDIAL  RECEPTION. 


83 


their  views.  The  governor  shrank  from  the  hazard 
of  extremes,  was  vacillating,  undecided,  and  une- 
qual to  the  emergency.  In  the  mean  time,  the  en- 
thusiasm which  led  to  the  revolution,  and  which 
might  have  achieved  independence,  was  wearing 
away.  Dissatisfaction  and  discontent  prevailed. 
Both  parties  blamed  the  governor,  and  he  did  not 
know  himself  to  which  he  belonged. 

There  was  nothing  equivocal,  however,  in  his  re- 
ception of  us.  He  knew  the  object  of  our  return  to 
the  country,  and  offered  us  all  the  facilities  the  gov- 
ernment could  bestow.  Whatever  was  to  be  the 
fate  of  Yucatan,  it  was  fortunate  for  us  that  it  was 
then  free  from  the  dominion  of  Mexico,  and  repu- 
diated entirely  the  jealous  policy  which  threw  im- 
pediments in  the  way  of  strangers  seeking  to  ex- 
plore the  antiquities  of  the  country  ; and  it  was  also 
fortunate,  that  on  my  former  visit  Yucatan  had  im- 
pressed me  favourably ; for,  had  it  been  otherwise,  my 
situation  might  have  been  made  uncomfortable,  and 
the  two  journals  of  Merida,  the  “ Commercial  Bul- 
letin” and  the  “ Nineteenth  Century,”  instead  of 
giving  us  a cordial  welcome,  and  bespeaking  favour 
for  us,  might  have  advised  us  to  return  home  by  the 
same  vessel  that  brought  us  out. 

Our  only  business  in  Merida  was  to  make  inqui- 
ries about  ruins  and  arrangements  for  our  journey 
into  the  interior,  but  in  the  mean  time  we  had  no 
lack  of  other  occupation. 

The  house  of  the  Dona  Micaela  was  the  rendez- 


84 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


vous  of  all  strangers  in  Merida,  and  a few  days  after 
our  arrival  there  was  an  unprecedented  gathering. 
There  were  Mr.  Auchincloss  and  his  son,  Mr.  T red- 
'well,  Mr.  Northrop,  Mr.  Gleason,  and  Mr.  Robinson, 
formerly  United  States  consul  at  Tampico,  who  had 
come  out  passengers  by  the  Lucinda,  all  citizens  of 
the  United  States ; and,  besides  these,  the  arrival 
of  the  schooner  of  war  San  Antonio,  from  Texas, 
brought  among  us  a citizen  of  the  world,  or,  at  least, 
of  a great  part  of  it.  Mr.  George  Fisher,  as  appeared 
by  his  various  papers  of  naturalization,  was  “ natu- 
ral de  la  ciudad  y fortaleza  de  Belgrada  en  la  pro- 
vincia  de  Servia  del  Imperio  Ottomano,”  or  a “native 
of  the  city  and  fortress  of  Belgrade,  in  the  province 
of  Servia,  in  the  Ottoman  Empire.”  His  Sclavonic 
name  was  Ribar,  which  in  the  German  language 
means  a Fischer,  and  at  school  in  Austria  it  was  so 
translated,  from  which  in  the  United  States  it  be- 
came modified  to  Fisher.  At  seventeen  he  embark- 
ed in  a revolution  to  throw  off  the  yoke  of  the  sul- 
tan, but  the  attempt  was  crushed,  and  forty  thous- 
and Sclavonians,  men,  women,  and  children,  were 
driven  across  the  Danube,  and  took  refuge  in  the 
Austrian  territory.  The  Austrian  government,  not 
liking  the  presence  of  so  many  revolutionists  with- 
in its  borders,  authorized  the  organizing  of  a Scla- 
vonic legion.  Mr.  Fisher  entered  it,  made  a cam- 
paign in  Italy,  and,  at  the  end  of  the  year,  in  the 
interior  of  the  country,  where  there  was  no  danger 
of  their  disseminating  revolutionary  notions,  the  le- 


A CITIZEN  OF  THE  WORLD. 


85 


gion  was  disbanded.  After  expeditions  of  various 
kinds  along  the  Danube,  in  Turkey,  to  Adrianople, 
and  along  the  Adriatic,  he  traded  back,  most  of  the 
way  on  foot,  until  he  reached  Hamburgh,  where,  in 
1815,  he  embarked  for  Philadelphia.  Hence  he 
crossed  over  to  the  Ohio  River,  and  in  the  State  of 
Mississippi,  by  five  years’  residence,  and  abjuring  all 
other  allegiance,  became  a citizen  of  the  United 
States.  Mexico  obtained  her  independence,  and  he 
moved  on  to  that  country,  becoming,  by  due  process 
of  law,  a Mexican  citizen.  Here  he  established  a 
newspaper,  which,  during  the  presidency  of  Santa 
Ana,  became  so  conspicuous  for  its  liberal  opinions, 
that  one  fine  morning  an  officer  waited  upon  him 
with  a paper  containing  permission  for  him  to  leave 
the  country  “ por  el  tiempo  necessario,”  which  being 
translated,  meant,  not  to  return  very  soon.  With 
this  he  “ sloped”  for  T exas,  and  became  a citizen  of 
that  young  republic.  It  was  strange  in  that  remote 
and  secluded  place  to  meet  one  from  a region  still 
more  distant  and  even  less  known,  speaking  every 
language  in  Europe,  familiar  with  every  part  of  it, 
with  the  history  of  every  reigning  family,  the  terri- 
torial limits  of  every  prince,  and  at  the  same  time  a 
citizen  of  so  many  republics. 

His  last  allegiance  was  uppermost;  his  feelings 
were  all  Texan,  and  he  gave  us  many  interesting 
particulars  touching  the  condition  and  prospects 
of  that  country.  He  was,  of  course,  soon  at  home 
in  the  politics  of  Yucatan,  and  he  had  some  lit- 

8 


86 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


tie  personal  interest  in  watching  them  closely ; for, 
should  Santa  Ana  regain  the  ascendancy,  the  cli- 
mate would  be  altogether  too  warm  for  him.  He 
had  saddle  and  bridle,  sword  and  pistols — all  that  he 
needed  except  a horse — hanging  up  in  his  room,  and 
at  a moment’s  notice  he  was  ready  to  mount  and 
ride. 

Our  meeting  with  this  gentleman  added  much  to 
the  interest  of  our  time  in  Merida.  In  the  evening, 
when  we  had  settled  the  affairs  of  Yucatan,  we  made 
an  excursion  into  Illyria  or  the  interior  of  Turkey. 
He  was  as  familiar  with  the  little  towns  in  those 
countries  as  with  those  in  Mexico.  His  knowledge 
of  persons  and  places,  derived  from  actual  observa- 
tion, was  most  extensive ; in  short,  his  whole  life 
had  been  a chapter  of  incidents  and  adventures ; 
and  these  were  not  yet  ended.  He  had  a new  field 
opened  to  him  in  Yucatan.  We  parted  with  him 
in  Merida,  and  the  next  that  we  heard  of  him  was 
of  his  being  in  a situation  quite  as  strange  as  any  he 
had  ever  been  in  before.  Yet  there  was  nothing 
reckless,  restless,  or  unsettled  about  him ; he  was 
perfectly  fixed  and  methodical  in  all  his  notions  and 
modes  of  action;  in  Wall-street  he  would  be  con- 
sidered a staid,  regular,  quiet,  middle-aged  man,  and 
he  was  systematic  enough  in  his  habits  to  be  head 
director  of  the  Bank  of  England. 

I must  not  omit  to  mention,  among  those  whom 
we  were  in  the  habit  of  seeing  every  day,  another 
old  acquaintance,  of  the  Spanish  Hotel  in  Fulton- 


CLIMATE  OF  MERIDA. 


87 


street,  Don  Vicente  Calera,  who,  at  the  time  of  our 
former  visit,  was  still  travelling  in  the  United  States. 
In  the  mean  time  he  had  returned,  married,  and  was 
again  domesticated  in  his  native  city. 

Under  his  escort  we  traversed  Merida  in  every  di- 
rection, and  visited  all  the  public  buildings  and  in- 
stitutions. 

The  population  of  Merida  is  probably  about  twen- 
ty-three thousand.  Two  tables  are  published  in  the 
Appendix ; but  both  purport  to  give  the  population 
of  the  district,  and  neither  that  of  the  city  alone. 
The  city  stands  on  a great  plain,  on  a surface  of 
limestone  rock,  and  the  temperature  and  climate  are 
very  uniform.  During  the  thirteen  days  that  we 
were  in  Merida  the  thermometer  varied  but  nine  de- 
grees ; and,  according  to  a table  of  observations  kept 
for  many  years  by  the  much-esteemed  Cura  Villa- 
mil,  it  appears  that  during  the  year  beginning  on  the 
first  of  September,  1841,  which  included  the  whole 
time  that  we  were  in  the  country,  the  greatest  vari- 
ation was  but  twenty-three  degrees.  By  the  kind- 
ness of  the  cura,  I have  been  furnished  with  a copy 
of  this  table,  from  which  I extract  the  observations 
for  the  days  that  we  passed  in  Merida.  The  entire 
table  is  published  in  the  Appendix.  The  observa- 
tions were  made  by  a F ahrenheit  thermometer  kept 
in  the  open  air  and  in  the  shade,  and  noted  at  six 
in  the  morning,  midday,  and  six  in  the  afternoon. 


83 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


6 A.M. 

12  M. 

6 P.M. 

Oct. 

30 

78 

81 

81 

(i 

31 

81 

82 

82 

Nov. 

1 

82 

83 

82 

2 

80 

82 

81 

U 

3 

78 

80 

80 

U 

4 

80 

77 

77 

u 

5 

77 

78 

78 

u 

6 

74 

77 

76 

u 

7 

74 

76 

76 

u 

8 

75 

78 

78 

(< 

9 

75 

78 

78 

u 

10 

74 

79 

79 

a 

11 

76 

79 

79 

I may  remark,  however,  that  in  the  interior  of  the 
country  we  found  a much  greater  variation  than 
any  noted  in  the  table  published  in  the  Appendix. 

The  general  aspect  of  the  city  is  Moorish,  as  it 
was  built  at  a time  when  the  Moorish  style  prevail- 
ed in  Spanish  architecture.  The  houses  are  large, 
generally  of  stone,  and  one  story  in  height,  with  bal- 
conies to  the  windows  and  large  courtyards.  In 
the  centre  of  the  city  stands  the  plaza  major,  a square 
of  about  six  hundred  feet.  The  whole  of  the  east 
side  is  occupied  by  the  cathedral  and  the  bishop’s 
palace.  On  the  west  stand  the  house  of  the  muni- 
cipality and  that  of  the  Dona  Joaquina  Peon.  On 
the  north  is  the  palace  of  the  government,  and  on 
the  south  a building  which  on  our  first  visit  arrested 
our  attention  the  moment  we  entered  the  plaza.  It 
is  distinguished  by  a rich  sculptured  fa9ade  of  cu- 
rious design  and  workmanship.  In  it  is  a stone  with 
this  inscription: 


AN  INTERESTING  EDIFICE. 


89 


Esta  obra  mando  hacerla  el 
Adelantado  D.  Francisco  de  Montejo 
Ano  de  MDXLIX. 

The  Adelantado  Don  Francisco  Montejo  caused  this  to  be  made 
in  the  year  1549. 

The  subject  represents  two  knights  in  armour,  with 
visors,  breastplates,  and  helmets,  standing  upon  the 
shoulders  of  crushed  naked  figures,  probably  intend- 
ed to  represent  the  conquering  Spaniard  trampling 
upon  the  Indian.  Mr.  Catherwood  attempted  to 
make  a drawing  of  it,  and,  to  avoid  the  heat  of  the 
sun,  went  into  the  plaza  at  daylight  for  that  purpose; 
but  he  was  so  annoyed  by  the  crowd  that  he  was 
obliged  to  give  it  up.  There  is  reason  to  believe 
that  it  is  a combination  of  Spanish  and  Indian  art. 
The  design  is  certainly  Spanish,  but  as,  at  that  ear- 
ly period  of  the  conquest,  but  five  years  after  the 
foundation  of  Merida,  Spaniards  were  but  few,  and 
each  man  considered  himself  a conqueror,  prob- 
ably there  were  none  who  practised  the  mechanic 
arts.  The  execution  was  no  doubt  the  work  of  In- 
dians, and  perhaps  the  carving  was  done  with  their 
own  instruments,  and  not  those  furnished  them  by 
the  Spaniards. 

The  history  of  the  erection  of  this  building  would 
be  interesting  and  instructive ; and,  with  the  hope  of 
learning  something  about  it,  I proposed  to  examine 
thoroughly  the  archives  of  the  cabildo ; but  I was  ad- 
vised that  all  the  early  archives  were  lost,  or  in  such 
confusion  that  it  would  be  a Herculean  labour  to  ex- 
Vol.  I.— M 


90 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


plore  them,  and  I saw  that  it  would  consume  more 
time  than  I should  be  able  to  devote  to  it. 

Besides  the  inscription  on  the  stone,  the  only  in- 
formation that  exists  in  regard  to  this  building  is  a 
statement  in  Cogolludo,  that  the  faqade  cost  fourteen 
thousand  dollars.  It  is  now  the  property  of  Don 
Simon  Peon,  and  is  occupied  by  his  family.  It  has 
been  lately  repaired,  and  some  of  the  beams  are  no 
doubt  the  same  which  held  up  the  roof  over  the  ade- 
lantado. 

Eight  streets  lead  from  the  plaza,  two  in  the  direc- 
tion of  each  cardinal  point.  In  every  street,  at  the 
distance  of  a few  squares,  is  a gate,  now  dismantled, 
and  beyond  are  the  barrios,  or  suburbs. 

The  streets  are  distinguished  in  a manner  pecu- 
liar to  Yucatan.  In  the  angle  of  the  corner  house, 
and  on  the  top,  stands  a painted  wooden  figure  of  an 
elephant,  a bull,  a flamingo,  or  some  other  visible  ob- 
ject, and  the  street  is  called  by  the  name  of  this  ob- 
ject. On  one  corner  there  is  the  figure  of  an  old 
woman  with  large  spectacles  on  her  nose,  and  the 
street  is  called  la  Calle  de  la  Vieja,  or  the  Street  of 
the  Old  Woman.  That  in  which  we  lived  had  on 
the  corner  house  a flamingo,  and  was  called  the  Street 
of  the  Flamingo  ; and  the  reason  of  the  streets  being 
named  in  this  way  gives  some  idea  of  the  character 
of  the  people.  The  great  mass  of  the  inhabitants, 
universally  the  Indians,  cannot  read.  Printed  signs 
would  be  of  no  use,  but  every  Indian  knows  the  sign 
of  an  elephant,  a bull,  or  a flamingo. 


CHURCHES. 


91 


In  the  front  wall  of  a house  in  a street  running 
north  from  the  plaza,  and  also  in  a corner  house  near 
the  square  of  the  Alameda,  are  sculptured  figures  from 
the  ruins  of  ancient  buildings,  of  which  Mr.  Catlier- 
wood  made  drawings,  but,  in  the  multiplicity  of  other 
subjects,  we  do  not  think  it  worth  while  to  present 
them  to  the  reader. 

The  great  distinguishing  feature  of  Merida,  as  of 
all  the  cities  of  Spanish  America,  is  in  its  churches. 
The  great  Cathedral;  the  parish  church  and  convent 
of  San  Cristoval ; the  church  of  the  Jesuits;  the 
church  and  convent  of  the  Mejorada  ; the  chapels 
of  San  Juan  Bautista  ; of  Our  Lady  of  Candelaria  ; 
of  the  Santa  Lucia  and  the  Virgin,  and  the  convent 
de  las  monjas,  or  the  nunnery,  with  its  church  and 
enclosures  occupying  two  whole  squares,  are  all  in- 
teresting in  their  history.  Some  are  of  good  style 
in  architecture,  and  rich  in  ornaments ; but  there  is 
one  other,  not  yet  mentioned,  which  I regard  as  the 
most  interesting  and  remarkable  edifice  in  Merida. 
It  is  the  old  Franciscan  convent.  It  stands  on  an 
eminence  in  the  eastern  part  of  the  city,  and  is  en- 
closed by  a high  wall,  with  turrets,  forming  what  is 
now  called  the  Castillo.  These  walls  and  turrets  are 
still  erect,  but  within  is  ruin  irretrievable. 

In  1820  the  new  constitution  obtained  by  the  pa- 
triots in  Spain  reached  the  colonies,  and  on  the  30th 
of  May  Don  Juan  Rivas  Vertiz,  then  Gefe  Politico, 
and  now  living  in  Merida,  a fine  memorial  of  the 
olden  time,  published  it  in  the  plaza.  The  church 


92 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


sustained  the  old  order  of  things,  and  the  Francis- 
can friars,  confident  in  their  hold  upon  the  feelings 
of  the  populace,  endeavoured  to  put  down  this 
demonstration  of  liberal  feeling.  A mob  gathered  in 
the  plaza ; friars  appeared  among  them,  urging  them 
on ; field-pieces  were  brought  out,  the  mob  dispers- 
ed, and  Don  Juan  Rivas  marched  to  the  Franciscan 
convent,  opened  the  doors,  drove  out  the  monks,  above 
300  in  number,  at  the  point  of  the  bayonet,  and  gave 
up  the  building  to  destruction.  The  superior  and 
some  of  the  brothers  became  seculars  or  regular 
priests ; others  turned  to  worldly  pursuits ; and  of  this 
once  powerful  order,  but  eleven  are  now  left  who 
wear  the  garb  of  the  Franciscan  monks. 

It  was  in  company  with  one  of  these  that  I paid 
my  last  visit  to  this  convent.  We  entered  by  the 
great  portal  of  the  castle  wall  into  an  overgrown 
courtyard.  In  front  was  the  convent,  with  its  large 
corridors  and  two  great  churches,  the  walls  of  all 
three  standing,  but  without  doors  or  windows.  The 
roof  of  one  of  the  churches  had  fallen,  and  the  broad 
glare  of  day  was  streaming  into  the  interior.  We 
entered  the  other — the  oldest,  and  identified  with 
the  times  of  the  conquerors.  Near  the  door  was  a 
blacksmith’s  forge.  A Mestizo  was  blowing  at  the 
bellows,  hauling  out  a red-hot  bar  of  iron,  and  ham- 
mering it  into  spikes.  All  along  the  floor  were  half- 
naked  Indians  and  brawny  Mestizoes,  hewing  tim- 
ber, driving  nails,  and  carrying  on  the  business  of 
making  gun-carriages  for  artillery.  The  altars  were 


FRANCISCAN  CONVENT. 


93 


thrown  clown  and  the  walls  defaced ; half  way  up 
were  painted  on  them,  in  coarse  and  staring  red 
characters  (in  Spanish),  “ First  squadron,”  “ Second 
squadron and  at  the  head  of  the  church,  under  a 
golden  gloria,  were  the  words  “ Comp’y  Light  Infant- 
ry ” The  church  had  been  occupied  as  barracks, 
and  these  were  the  places  where  they  stacked  their 
arms.  As  we  passed  through,  the  workmen  stared  at 
my  companion,  or  rather  at  the  long  blue  gown,  the 
cord  around  his  waist,  and  the  cross  dangling  from 
it — the  garb  of  his  scattered  order.  It  was  the  first 
time  he  had  visited  the  place  since  the  expulsion  ot 
the  monks.  To  me  it  was  mournful  to  behold  the 
destruction  and  desecration  of  this  noble  building ; 
what,  then,  must  it  have  been  to  him  ? In  the  floor 
of  the  church  near  the  altar  and  in  the  sacristia 
were  open  vaults,  but  the  bones  of  the  monks  had 
been  thrown  out  and  scattered  on  the  floor.  Some 
of  these  were  the  bones  of  his  earliest  friends.  We 
passed  into  the  refectory,  and  he  pointed  out  the 
position  of  the  long  table  at  which  the  brotherhood 
took  their  meals,  and  the  stone  fountain  at  which 
they  performed  their  ablutions.  His  old  compan- 
ions in  their  long  blue  gowns  rose  up  before  him, 
now  scattered  forever,  and  their  home  a desolation 
and  ruin. 

But  this  convent  contains  one  memorial  far  more 
interesting  than  any  connected  with  its  own  ruin ; 
one  that  carries  the  beholder  back  through  centu- 


94 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


ries  of  time,  and  tells  the  story  of  a greater  and  a 
sadder  fall. 

In  one  of  the  lower  cloisters  going  out  from  the 
north,  and  under  the  principal  dormitory,  are  two 
parallel  corridors.  The  outer  one  faces  the  princi- 
pal patio,  and  this  corridor  has  that  peculiar  arch  so 
often  referred  to  in  my  previous  volumes,  two  sides 
rising  to  meet  each  other,  and  covered,  when  within 
about  a foot  of  forming  an  apex,  by  a flat  layer  of 
stones.  There  can  be  no  mistake  about  the  char- 
acter of  this  arch;  it  cannot  for  a moment  be  sup- 
posed that  the  Spaniards  constructed  anything  so 
different  from  their  known  rules  of  architecture ; 
and  beyond  doubt  it  formed  part  of  one  of  those 
mysterious  buildings  which  have  given  rise  to  so 
much  speculation  ; the  construction  of  which  has 
been  ascribed  to  the  most  ancient  people  in  the  Old 
World,  and  to  races  lost,  perished,  and  unknown. 

I am  happy  thus  early  in  these  pages  to  have  an 
opportunity  of  recurring  to  the  opinion  expressed  in 
my  former  volumes,  in  regard  to  the  builders  of  the 
ancient  American  cities. 

The  conclusion  to  which  I came  was,  that  “ there 
are  not  sufficient  grounds  for  belief  in  the  great  an- 
tiquity that  has  been  ascribed  to  these  ruins “ that 
we  are  not  warranted  in  going  back  to  any  ancient 
nation  of  the  Old  World  for  the  builders  of  these 
cities ; that  they  are  not  the  works  of  people  who 
have  passed  away,  and  whose  history  is  lost;  but 
that  there  are  strong  reasons  to  believe  them  the 


RUINED  CITIES  OF  AMERICA.  95 

creation  of  the  same  races  who  inhabited  the  coun- 
try at  the  time  of  the  Spanish  conquest,  or  of  some 
not  very  distant  progenitors.” 

This  opinion  was  not  given  lightly,  nor  without 
due  consideration.  It  was  adverse  to  my  feelings, 
which  would  fain  have  thrown  around  the  ruins  the 
interest  of  mystery  and  hoary  age ; and  even  now, 
though  gratified  at  knowing  that  my  opinion  has 
been  fully  sustained,  I would  be  willing  to  abandon 
it,  and  involve  the  reader  and  myself  in  doubt,  did  cir- 
cumstances warrant  me  in  so  doing;  but  I am 
obliged  to  say  that  subsequent  investigations  have 
fortified  and  confirmed  my  previous  conclusions, 
and,  in  fact,  have  made  conviction  what  before  was 
mere  matter  of  opinion. 

When  I wrrote  the  account  of  my  former  journey, 
the  greatest  difficulty  attending  the  consideration  of 
this  subject  was  the  absence  of  all  historical  record 
concerning  the  places  visited.  Copan  had  some 
history,  but  it  was  obscure,  uncertain,  and  unsatis- 
factory. Quirigua,  Palenque,  and  Uxmal  had  none 
whatever ; but  a ray  of  historic  light  beams  upon 
the  solitary  arch  in  the  ruined  convent  of  Merida. 

In  the  account  of  the  conquest  of  Yucatan  by 
Cogolludo  it  is  stated,  that  on  the  arrival  of  the 
Spaniards  at  the  Indian  town  of  Tihoo,  on  the  site 
of  which,  it  will  be  remembered,  Merida  now  stands, 
they  found  many  cerros  hechos  a mano,  i.  e.,  hills 
made  by  hand,  or  artificial  mounds,  and  that  on  one 
of  these  mounds  the  Spaniards  encamped. 


96  INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 

This  mound,  it  is  stated,  stood  on  the  ground  now 
occupied  by  the  plaza  major.  East  of  it  was  anoth- 
er large  mound,  and  the  Spaniards  laid  the  founda- 
tion of  the  city  between  these  two,  because,  as  it  is 
assigned,  the  stones  in  them  were  a great  conveni- 
ence in  building,  and  economized  the  labour  of  the 
Indians.  These  mounds  were  so  large,  it  is  added, 
that  with  the  stones  the  Spaniards  built  all  the  edi- 
fices in  the  city,  so  that  the  ground  which  forms  the 
plaza  major  remained  nearly  or  quite  level.  The 
buildings  erected  are  specified,  and  it  is  added  that 
there  was  abundance  of  material  for  other  edifices 
which  the  Spaniards  wished  to  erect. 

Other  mounds  are  mentioned  as  obstructing  the 
laying  out  of  streets  according  to  the  plan  proposed, 
and  there  is  one  circumstance  which  bears  directly 
upon  this  point,  and,  in  my  opinion,  is  conclusive. 

In  the  history  of  the  construction  of  the  Francis- 
can convent,  which  was  founded  in  the  year  1547, 
five  years  after  the  arrival  of  the  Spaniards  in  Ti- 
hoo,  it  is  expressly  stated  that  it  was  built  upon  a 
small  artificial  mound,  one  of  the  many  that  were 
then  in  the  place,  on  which  mound,  it  is  added,  were 
some  ancient  buildings.  Now  we  must  either  sup- 
pose that  the  Spaniards  razed  these  buildings  to  the 
ground,  and  then  constructed  this  strange  arch  them- 
selves, which  supposition  is,  I think,  utterly  untena- 
ble, or  that  this  corridor  formed  part  of  the  ancient 
buildings  which,  according  to  the  historical  account, 
stood  on  this  artificial  mound,  and  that  for  some 


FORMER  CONCLUSIONS  CONFIRMED.  97 

purpose  or  other  the  monks  incorporated  it  with 
their  convent. 

There  is  but  one  way  to  overthrow  this  latter 
conclusion,  and  that  is  by  contending  that  these 
mounds  were  all  ruined,  and  this  building  too,  at  the 
time  when  it  was  made  to  form  part  of  the  convent; 
but  then  we  are  reduced  to  the  necessity  of  suppo- 
sing that  a great  town,  the  fame  of  which  reached 
the  Spaniards  at  Campeachy,  and  which  made  a 
desperate  and  bloody  resistance  to  their  occupation 
of  it,  was  a mere  gathering  of  hordes  around  the 
ruined  buildings  of  another  race ; and,  besides,  it  is 
a matter  of  primary  importance  to  note  that  these 
artificial  mounds  are  mentioned,  not  in  the  course 
of  describing  the  Indian  town,  for  no  description 
whatever  is  attempted,  but  merely  incidentally,  as 
affording  conveniences  to  the  Spaniards  in  furnish- 
ing materials  for  building  the  city,  or  as  causing  ob- 
structions in  the  laying  out  of  streets  regularly  and 
according  to  the  plan  proposed.  The  mound  on 
which  the  convent  stands  would  perhaps  not  have 
been  mentioned  at  all  but  for  the  circumstance  that 
the  Padre  Cogolludo  was  a Franciscan  friar,  and 
the  mention  of  it  enabled  him  to  pay  a tribute  to 
the  memory  of  the  blessed  father  Luis  de  Villpan- 
do,  then  superior  of  the  convent,  and  to  show  the 
great  estimation  in  which  he  was  held,  for  he  says 
that  the  adelantado  had  fixed  upon  this  mound  for 
the  site  of  one  of  his  fortresses,  but  on  the  applica- 
tion of  the  superior  he  yielded  it  to  him  readily  for 
Vol.  I. — N 9 


98 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


the  site  of  the  convent;  and,  more  than  all  this,  even 
in  the  incidental  way  in  which  these  mounds  are 
referred  to,  there  is  one  circumstance  which  shows 
clearly  that  they  were  not  at  that  time  disused  and 
in  ruins,  but,  on  the  contrary,  were  then  in  the  ac- 
tual use  and  occupation  of  the  Indians ; for  Cogol- 
ludo  mentions  particularly  and  with  much  detail 
one  that  completely  obstructed  the  running  of  a par- 
ticular street,  which,  he  says,  was  called  El  grande 
de  los  Kues,  adoratorio  que  era  de  los  idolos.  Now 
the  word  “ Kues,”  in  the  Maya  language,  as  spoken 
by  the  Indians  of  Yucatan  at  the  present  day,  means 
their  ancient  places  of  worship,  and  the  word  “ ad- 
oratorio,” as  defined  in  the  Spanish  dictionary,  is 
the  name  given  by  the  Spaniards  to  the  temples  of 
idols  in  America.  So  that  when  the  historian  de- 
scribes this  mound  as  El  grande  de  los  Kues  el  ad- 
oratorio de  los  idolos,  he  means  to  say  that  it  was 
the  great  one,  or  the  greatest  among  the  places  of 
worship  of  the  Indians,  or  the  temples  of  their 
idols. 

It  is  called  the  “ great  one”  of  their  places  of 
worship,  in  contradistinction  to  the  smaller  ones 
around,  among  which  was  that  now  occupied  by 
the  Franciscan  convent.  In  my  opinion,  the  soli- 
tary arch  found  in  this  convent  is  very  strong,  if  not 
conclusive,  evidence  that  all  the  ruined  buildings 
scattered  over  Yucatan  were  erected  by  the  very 
Indians  who  occupied  the  country  at  the  time  of 
the  Spanish  conquest,  or,  to  fall  back  upon  my  old 


THE  BUILDERS  OF  THESE  CITIES.  99 

ground,  that  they  were  the  work  “ of  the  same  race 
of  people,”  or  “ their  not  very  distant  progeni- 
tors.” 

Who  these  races  were,  whence  they  came,  or 
who  were  their  progenitors,  I did  not  undertake  to 
say,  nor  do  I now. 


100 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


CHAPTER  V. 

Daguerreotype  Apparatus. — Set  up  as  Ladies’  Daguerreotype  Por- 
trait Takers. — Preparations. — A pretty  young  Lady  to  begin 
with. — Preliminaries. — A Chapter  of  Contingencies. — Success 
of  the  first  Experiment. — Other  successful  Experiments. — A 
Change  of  Fortune. — Give  up  this  Business. — An  Incident. — 
Take  up  the  Practice  of  Surgery. — Operation  for  Strabismus. 
— Details. — First  Subject. — A great  Gathering  of  Squint  Eyes. 
— A troublesome  Patient. — A little  Hero. — Extraordinary  In- 
stance of  Fortitude. — A Military  Patient. — A Female  Patient. 
— Practice  of  Surgery  abandoned. — Instability  of  Fame. 

But  the  reader  must  not  suppose  that  our  only 
business  in  Merida  was  the  investigation  of  antiqui- 
ties ; we  had  other  operations  in  hand  which  gave  ' 
us  plenty  of  employment.  We  had  taken  with  us  a 
Daguerreotype  apparatus,  of  which  but  one  speci- 
men had  ever  before  appeared  in  Yucatan.  Great 
improvements  had  been  since  made  in  the  instrument, 
and  we  had  reason  to  believe  that  ours  was  one  of 
the  best ; and  having  received  assurances  that  we 
might  do  a large  business  in  that  line,  we  were  indu- 
ced to  set  up  as  ladies’  Daguerreotype  portrait  ta- 
kers. It  was  a new  line  for  us,  and  rather  venture- 
some, but  not  worse  than  for  the  editor  of  a news- 
paper to  turn  captain  of  a steamboat ; and,  besides, 
it  was  not  like  banking — wTe  could  not  injure  any 
one  by  a failure. 

Having  made  trials  upon  ourselves  until  we  were 
tired  of  the  subjects,  and  with  satisfactory  results,  we 
considered  ourselves  sufficiently  advanced  to  begin  ; 
and  as  we  intended  to  practice  for  the  love  of  the 


DAGUERREOTYPE  PORTRAIT  TAKING.  101 

art,  and  not  for  lucre,  we  held  that  we  had  a right 
to  select  our  subjects.  Accordingly,  we  had  but  to 
signify  our  wishes,  and  the  next  morning  put  our 
house  in  order  for  the  reception  of  our  fair  visiters. 
We  cleared  everything  out  of  the  hammock,  took 
the  washhand  basin  off  the  chair,  and  threw  odds 
and  ends  into  one  corner  ; and  as  the  sun  was  pour- 
ing its  rays  warmly  and  brightly  into  our  door,  it 
was  farther  lighted  up  by  the  entry  of  three  young 
ladies,  with  their  respective  papas  and  mammas. 
We  had  great  difficulty  in  finding  them  all  seats, 
and  were  obliged  to  put  the  two  mammas  into  the 
hammock  together.  The  young  ladies  were  dressed 
in  their  prettiest  costume,  with  earrings  and  chains, 
and  their  hair  adorned  with  flowers.  All  were  pret- 
ty, and  one  was  much  more  than  pretty;  not  in  the 
style  of  Spanish  beauty,  with  dark  eyes  and  hair, 
but  a delicate  and  dangerous  blonde,  simple,  natural, 
and  unaffected,  beautiful  without  knowing  it,  and 
really  because  she  could  not  help  it.  Her  name,  too, 
was  poetry  itself.  I am  bound  to  single  her  out,  for, 
late  on  the  evening  of  our  departure  from  Merida, 
she  sent  us  a large  cake,  measuring  about  three 
feet  in  circumference  by  six  inches  deep,  which, 
by-the-way,  everything  being  packed  up,  I smother- 
ed into  a pair  of  saddle-bags,  and  spoiled  some  of  my 
scanty  stock  of  wearing  apparel. 

The  ceremonies  of  the  reception  over,  we  made 
immediate  preparations  to  begin.  Much  form  and 
circumstance  were  necessary  in  settling  prelimina- 


102 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


ries  ; and  as  we  were  in  no  hurry  to  get  rid  of  our 
subjects,  we  had  more  formalities  than  usual  to  go 
through  with. 

Our  first  subject  was  the  lady  of  the  poetical  name. 
It  was  necessary  to  hold  a consultation  upon  her 
costume,  whether  the  colours  were  pretty  and  such 
as  would  be  brought  out  well  or  not ; whether  a scarf 
around  the  neck  was  advisable ; whether  the  hair  was 
well  arranged,  the  rose  becoming,  and  in  the  best, 
position;  then  to  change  it,  and  consider  the  effect 
of  the  change,  and  to  say  and  do  many  other  things 
which  may  suggest  themselves  to  the  reader’s  ima- 
gination, and  all  which  gave  rise  to  many  profound 
remarks  in  regard  to  artistical  effect,  and  occupied 
much  time. 

The  lady  being  arrayed  to  the  best  advantage,  it 
was  necessary  to  seat  her  with  reference  to  a right 
adjustment  of  light  and  shade;  to  examine  carefully 
the  falling  of  the  light  upon  her  face ; then  to  con- 
sult whether  it  was  better  to  take  a front  or  a side 
view  ; to  look  at  the  face  carefully  in  both  positions  ; 
and,  filially,  it  was  necessary  to  secure  the  head  in  the 
right  position  ; that  it  should  be  neither  too  high  nor 
too  low ; too  much  on  one  side  nor  on  the  other ; 
and  as  this  required  great  nicety,  it  was  sometimes 
actually  indispensable  to  turn  the  beautiful  little  head 
with  our  own  hands,  which,  however,  was  a very  in- 
nocent way  of  turning  a young  lady’s  head. 

Next  it  was  necessary  to  get  the  young  lady  into 
focus — that  is,  to  get  her  into  the  box,  which,  in 


THE  FIRST  SUBJECT. 


103 


short,  means,  to  get  a reflection  of  her  face  on  the 
glass  in  the  camera  obscura  at  that  one  particular 
point  of  view  which  presented  it  better  than  any 
other ; and  when  this  was  obtained,  the  miniature 
likeness  of  the  object  was  so  faithfully  reflected, 
that,  as  artists  carried  away  by  enthusiasm,  we  were 
obliged  to  call  in  the  papas  and  mammas,  who  pro- 
nounced it  beautiful — to  which  dictum  we  were  in 
courtesy  obliged  to  respond. 

The  plate  was  now  cleaned,  put  into  the  box,  and 
the  light  shut  off.  Now  came  a trying  time  for  the 
young  lady.  She  must  neither  open  her  lips  nor 
roll  her  eyes  for  one  minute  and  thirty  seconds  by 
the  watch.  This  eternity  at  length  ended,  and  the 
plate  was  taken  out. 

So  far  our  course  had  been  before  the  wind. 
Every  new  formality  had  but  increased  our  impor- 
tance in  the  eyes  of  our  fair  visiters  and  their  re- 
spectable companions.  Mr.  Catherwood  retired  to 
the  adjoining  room  to  put  the  plate  in  the  mercury 
bath,  while  we,  not  knowing  what  the  result  might 
be,  a little  fearful,  and  neither  wishing  to  rob  an- 
other of  the  honour  he  might  be  justly  entitled  to, 
nor  to  be  dragged  down  by  another’s  failure,  thought 
best  to  have  it  distinctly  understood  that  Mr.  Cath- 
erwood was  the  maestro,  and  that  we  were  merely 
amateurs.  At  the  same  time,  on  Mr.  Catherwood’s 
account,  I took  occasion  to  suggest  that  the  process 
was  so  complicated,  and  its  success  depended  upon 
such  a variety  of  minute  circumstances,  it  seemed 


104 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


really  wonderful  that  it  ever  turned  out  well.  The 
plate  might  not  be  good,  or  not  well  cleaned  ; or  the 
chemicals  might  not  be  of  the  best ; or  the  plate 
might  be  left  too  long  in  the  iodine  box,  or  taken 
out  too  soon  ; or  left  too  long  in  the  bromine  box, 
or  taken  out  too  soon  ; or  a ray  of  light  might  strike 
it  on  putting  it  into  the  camera  or  in  taking  it  out ; 
or  it  might  be  left  too  long  in  the  camera  or  taken 
out  too  soon ; or  too  long  in  the  mercury  bath  or 
taken  out  too  soon ; and  even  though  all  these  pro- 
cesses were  right  and  regular,  there  might  be  some 
other  fault  of  omission  or  commission  which  we 
were  not  aware  of ; besides  which,  climate  and  at- 
mosphere had  great  influence,  and  might  render  all 
of  no  avail.  These  little  suggestions  we  considered 
necessary  to  prevent  too  great  a disappointment  in 
case  of  failure ; and  perhaps  our  fair  visiters  were 
somewhat  surprised  at  our  audacity  in  undertaking 
at  all  such  a doubtful  experiment,  and  using  them  as 
instruments.  The  result,  however,  was  enough  to 
induce  us  never  again  to  adopt  prudential  measures, 
for  the  young  lady’s  image  was  stamped  upon  the 
plate,  and  made  a picture  which  enchanted  her  and 
satisfied  the  critical  judgment  of  her  friends  and  ad- 
mirers. 

Our  experiments  upon  the  other  ladies  were  equal- 
ly successful,  and  the  morning  glided  away  in  this 
pleasant  occupation. 

We  continued  practising  a few  days  longer;  and 
as  all  our  good  results  were  extensively  shown,  and 


A.  CHANGE  OF  FORTUNE. 


105 


the  poor  ones  we  took  care  to  keep  out  of  sight,  our 
reputation  increased,  and  we  had  abundance  of  ap- 
plications. 

In  this  state  of  things  we  requested  some  friends 
to  whom  we  were  under  many  obligations,  to  be 
permitted  to  wait  upon  them  at  their  houses.  On 
receiving  their  assent,  the  next  morning  at  nine 
o’clock  Mr.  C.  in  a caleza,  with  all  the  complicated 
apparatus  packed  around  him,  drove  up  to  their 
door.  I followed  on  foot.  It  was  our  intention  to 
go  through  the  whole  family,  uncles,  aunts,  grand- 
children, down  to  Indian  servants,  as  many  as  would 
sit ; but  man  is  born  to  disappointment.  I spare 
the  reader  the  recital  of  our  misfortunes  that  day. 
It  would  be  too  distressing.  Suffice  it  to  say  that 
we  tried  plate  after  plate,  sitting  after  sitting,  vary- 
ing light,  time,  and  other  points  of  the  process ; but 
it  was  all  in  vain.  The  stubborn  instrument  seem- 
ed bent  upon  confounding  us  ; and,  covering  our 
confusion  as  well  as  we  could,  we  gathered  up  our 
Daguerreotype  and  carried  ourselves  off.  What 
was  the  cause  of  our  complete  discomfiture  we  nev- 
er ascertained,  but  we  resolved  to  give  up  business 
as  ladies’  Daguerreotype  portrait  takers. 

There  was  one  interesting  incident  connected 
with  our  short  career  of  practice.  Among  the  por- 
traits put  forth  was  one  of  a lady,  which  came  to  the 
knowledge  of  a gentleman  particularly  interested  in 
the  fair  original.  This  gentleman  had  never  taken 
any  especial  notice  of  us  before,  but  now  he  called 

Vol.  I.— 0 


106 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


upon  us,  and  very  naturally  the  conversation  turned 
upon  that  art  of  which  we  were  then  professors. 
The  portrait  of  this  lady  was  mentioned,  and  by  the 
time  he  had  finished  his  third  straw  cigar,  he  unbur- 
dened himself  of  the  special  object  of  his  visit,  which 
was  to  procure  a portrait  of  her  for  himself.  This 
seemed  natural  enough,  and  we  assented,  provided 
he  would  get  her  to  sit ; but  he  did  not  wish  either 
her  or  her  friends  to  know  anything  about  it.  This 
was  a difficulty.  It  was  not  very  easy  to  take  it  by 
stealth.  However  strong  an  impression  a young 
lady  may  make  by  a glance  upon  some  substances, 
she  can  do  nothing  upon  a silver  plate.  Here  she 
requires  the  aid  of  iodine,  bromine,  and  mercury. 
But  the  young  man  was  fertile  in  expedients.  He 
said  that  we  could  easily  make  some  excuse,  prom- 
ising her  something  more  perfect,  and  in  making  two 
or  three  impressions,  could  slip  one  away  for  him. 
This  was  by  no  means  a bad  suggestion,  at  least  so 
far  as  he  was  concerned,  but  we  had  some  qualms 
of  conscience.  While  we  were  deliberating,  a mat- 
ter was  introduced  which  perhaps  lay  as  near  Doc- 
tor Cabot’s  heart  as  the  young  lady  did  that  of  our 
friend.  That  was  a pointer  or  setter  dog  for  hunt- 
ing, of  which  the  doctor  was  in  great  want.  The 
gentleman  said  he  had  one — the  only  one  in  Meri- 
da— and  he  would  give  it  for  the  portrait.  It  was 
rather  an  odd  proposition,  but  to  offer  a dog  for  his 
mistress’s  portrait  was  very  different  from  offering 
his  mistress’s  portrait  for  a dog.  It  was  clear  that 


PRACTICE  OF  SURGERY. 


107 


the  young  man  was  in  a bad  way ; he  would  lay 
down  his  life,  give  up  smoking,  part  with  his  dog,  or 
commit  any  other  extravagance.  The  case  was 
touching.  The  doctor  was  really  interested ; and, 
after  all,  what  harm  could  it  do  ? The  doctor  and 
I went  to  look  at  the  dog,  but  it  turned  out  to  be  a 
mere  pup,  entirely  unbroken,  and  what  the  result 
might  have  been  I do  not  know,  but  all  farther  ne- 
gotiations were  broken  off  by  the  result  of  our  out- 
of-door  practice  and  disgust  for  the  business. 

There  is  no  immediate  connexion  between  ta- 
king Daguerreotype  portraits  and  the  practice  of 
surgery,  but  circumstances  bring  close  together  things 
entirely  dissimilar  in  themselves,  and  we  went  from 
one  to  the  other.  Secluded  as  Merida  is,  and  sel- 
dom visited  by  strangers,  the  fame  of  new  discover- 
ies in  science  is  slow  in  reaching  it,  and  the  new 
operation  of  Mons.  Guerin  for  the  cure  of  strabismus 
had  not  been  heard  of.  In  private  intercourse  we 
had  spoken  of  this  operation,  and,  in  order  to  make 
it  known,  and  extend  its  benefits,  Doctor  Cabot  had 
offered  to  perform  it  in  Merida.  The  Merida  peo- 
ple have  generally  fine  eyes,  but,  either  because  our 
attention  was  particularly  directed  to  it,  or  that  it 
is  really  the  case,  there  seemed  to  be  more  squint- 
ing eyes,  or  biscos,  as  they  are  called,  than  are  usu- 
ally seen  in  any  one  town,  and  in  Merida,  as  in  some 
other  places,  this  is  not  esteemed  a beauty ; but,  ei- 
ther from  want  of  confidence  in  a stranger,  or  a 
cheap  estimation  of  the  qualifications  of  a medico 


108  INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 

who  asked  no  pay  for  his  services,  the  doctor’s  phil- 
anthropic purposes  were  not  appreciated.  At  least, 
no  one  cared  to  be  the  first ; and  as  the  doctor  had 
no  sample  of  his  skill  with  him,  no  subject  offered. 

We  had  fixed  the  day  for  our  departure  ; and  the 
evening  but  one  before,  a direct  overture  was  made 
to  the  doctor  to  perform  the  operation.  The  subject 
was  a boy,  and  the  application  in  his  behalf  was 
made  by  a gentleman  who  formed  one  of  a circle  in 
which  we  were  in  the  habit  of  visiting,  and  whom 
we  were  all  happy  to  have  it  in  our  power  to  serve. 

The  time  was  fixed  at  ten  o’clock  the  next  day. 
After  breakfast  our  sala  was  put  in  order  for  the  re- 
ception of  company,  and  the  doctor  for  the  first  time 
looked  to  his  instruments.  He  had  some  misgiv- 
ings. They  were  of  very  fine  workmanship,  made 
in  Paris,  most  sensitive  to  the  influence  of  the  at- 
mosphere, and  in  that  climate  it  was  almost  impos- 
sible to  preserve  anything  metallic  from  rust.  The 
doctor  had  packed  the  case  among  his  clothing  in 
the  middle  of  his  trunk,  and  had  taken  every  possi- 
ble precaution,  but,  as  usual  upon  such  occasions, 
the  most  important  instrument  had  rusted  at  the 
point,  and  in  that  state  was  utterly  useless.  There 
was  no  cutler  in  the  place,  nor  any  other  person 
competent  to  touch  it.  Mr.  Catherwood,  however, 
brought  out  an  old  razor  hone,  and  between  them 
they  worked  off  the  rust. 

At  ten  o’clock  the  doctor’s  subject  made  his  ap- 
pearance. He  was  the  son  of  a widow  lady  of  very 


DETAILS  OF  THE  OPERATION.  109, 

respectable  family,  about  fourteen  years  old,  but 
small  of  stature,  and  presenting  even  to  the  most 
casual  glance  the  stamp  of  a little  gentleman.  He 
had  large  black  eyes,  but,  unluckily,  their  expression 
was  very  much  injured  by  an  inward  squint.  With 
the  light  heart  of  boyhood,  however,  he  seemed  in- 
different to  his  personal  appearance,  and  came,  as 
he  said,  because  his  mother  told  him  to  do  so.  His 
handsome  person,  and  modest  and  engaging  man- 
ners, gave  us  immediately  a strong  interest  in  his  fa- 
vour. He  was  accompanied  by  the  gentleman  who 
had  spoken  of  bringing  him,  Dr.  Bado,  a Guati- 
malian  educated  in  Paris,  the  oldest  and  principal 
physician  of  Merida,  and  by  several  friends  of  the 
family,  whom  we  did  not  know. 

Preparations  were  commenced  immediately.  The 
first  movement  was  to  bring  out  a long  table  near 
the  window ; then  to  spread  upon  it  a mattress  and 
pillow,  and  upon  these  to  spread  the  boy.  Until 
the  actual  moment  of  operating,  the  precise  charac- 
ter of  this  new  business  had  not  presented  itself  to 
my  mind,  and  altogether  it  opened  by  no  means  so 
favourably  as  Daguerreotype  practice. 

Not  aiming  to  be  technical,  but  desiring  to  give 
the  reader  the  benefit  of  such  scraps  of  learning  as 
I pick  up  in  my  travels,  modern  science  has  discov- 
ered that  the  eye  is  retained  in  its  orbit  by  six  mus- 
cles, which  pull  it  up  and  down,  inward  and  out- 
ward, and  that  the  undue  contraction  of  either  of 
these  muscles  produces  that  obliquity  called  squint- 

10 


110  INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 

ing,  which  was  once  supposed  to  proceed  from  con- 
vulsions in  childhood,  or  other  unknown  causes. 
The  cure  discovered  is  the  cutting  of  the  contract- 
ed muscle,  by  means  of  which  the  eye  falls  imme- 
diately into  its  proper  place.  This  muscle  lies  un- 
der the  surface ; and,  as  it  is  necessary  to  pass  through 
a membrane  of  the  eye,  the  cutting  cannot  be  done 
with  a broadaxe  or  a handsaw.  In  fact,  it  requires 
a knowledge  of  the  anatomy  of  the  eye,  manual  dex- 
terity, fine  instruments,  and  Mr.  Catherwood  and 
myself  for  assistants. 

Our  patient  remained  perfectly  quiet,  with  his  lit- 
tle hands  folded  across  his  breast;  but  while  the 
knife  was  cutting  through  the  muscle  he  gave  one 
groan,  so  piteous  and  heart-rending,  that  it  sent  into 
the  next  room  all  who  were  not  immediately  enga- 
ged. But  before  the  sound  of  the  groan  had  died 
away  the  operation  was  over,  and  the  boy  rose  with 
his  eye  bleeding,  but  perfectly  straight.  A bandage 
was  tied  over  it,  and,  with  a few  directions  for  its 
treatment,  amid  the  congratulations  and  praises  of  all 
present,  and  wearing  the  same  smile  with  which  he 
had  entered,  the  little  fellow  walked  off  to  his  mother. 

The  news  of  this  wonder  spread  rapidly,  and  be- 
fore night  Dr.  Cabot  had  numerous  and  pressing  ap- 
plications, among  which  was  one  from  a gentleman 
whom  we  were  all  desirous  to  oblige,  and  who  had 
this  defect  in  both  eyes. 

On  his  account  we  determined  to  postpone  our 
departure  another  day ; and,  in  furtherance  of  his 


A GATHERING  OF  SQUINT  EYES.  Ill 

original  purpose,  Dr.  Cabot  mentioned  that  he  would 
perform  the  operation  upon  all  who  chose  to  offer. 
We  certainly' took  no  trouble  to  spread  this  notice, 
but  the  next  morning,  when  we  returned  from  break- 
fast, there  was  a gathering  of  squint-eyed  boys 
around  the  door,  who,  with  their  friends  and  back- 
ers, made  a formidable  appearance,  and  almost  ob- 
structed our  entrance.  As  soon  as  the  door  opened 
there  was  a rush  inside  ; and  as  some  of  these  slant- 
ing eyes  might  not  be  able  to  distinguish  between 
meum  and  tuum,  we  were  obliged  to  help  their  pro- 
prietors out  into  the  street  again. 

At  ten  o’clock  the  big  table  was  drawn  up  to  the 
window,  and  the  mattress  and  pillow  were  spread 
upon  it,  but  there  was  such  a gathering  around  the 
window  that  we  had  to  hang  up  a sheet  before  it. 
^Invitations  had  been  given  to  Dr.  Bado  and  Dr. 
Munoz,  and  all  physicians  who  chose  to  come,  and 
having  met  the  governor  in  the  evening,  I had  ask- 
ed him  to  be  present.  These  all  honoured  us  with 
their  company,  together  with  a number  of  self-invi- 
ted persons,  who  had  introduced  themselves,  and 
could  not  well  be  turned  out,  making  quite  a crowd- 
ed room. 

The  first  who  presented  himself  was  a stout  lad 
about  nineteen  or  twenty,  whom  we  had  never  seen 
or  heard  of  before.  Who  he  was  or  where  he  came 
from  we  did  not  know,  but  he  was  a bisco  of  the 
worst  kind,  and  seemed  able-bodied  enough  to  un- 
dergo anything  in  the  way  of  surgery.  As  soon  as 


112 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


the  doctor  began  to  cut  the  muscle,  however,  our 
strapping  patient  gave  signs  of  restlessness ; and  all 
at  once,  with  an  actual  bellow,  he  jerked  his  head 
on  one  side,  carried  away  the  doctor’s  hook,  and 
shut  his  eye  upon  it  with  a sort  of  lockjaw  grip,  as 
if  determined  it  should  never  be  drawn  out.  How 
my  hook  got  out  I have  no  idea ; fortunately,  the 
doctor  let  his  go,  or  the  lad’s  eye  would  have  been 
scratched  out.  As  it  was,  there  he  sat  with  the 
bandage  slipped  above  one  eye,  and  the  other  closed 
upon  the  hook,  the  handle  of  which  stood  out 
straight.  Probably  at  that  moment  he  would  have 
been  willing  to  sacrifice  pride  of  personal  appear- 
ance, keep  his  squint,  and  go  through  life  with  his 
eye  shut,  the  hook  in  it,  and  the  handle  sticking  out; 
but  the  instrument  was  too  valuable  to  be  lost.  And 
it  was  interesting  and  instructive  to  notice  the  dif- 
ference between  the  equanimity  of  one  who  had  a 
hook  in  his  eye,  and  that  of  lookers-on  who  had  not. 
All  the  spectators  upbraided  him  with  his  cowardice 
and  want  of  heart,  and  after  a round  of  reproof  to 
which  he  could  make  no  answer,  he  opened  his  eye 
and  let  out  the  hook.  But  he  had  made  a bad  bu- 
siness of  it.  A few  seconds  longer,  and  the  opera- 
tion would  have  been  completed.  As  it  was,  the 
whole  work  had  to  be  repeated.  As  the  muscle  was 
again  lifted  under  the  knife,  I thought  I saw  a glare 
in  the  eyeball  that  gave  token  of  another  fling  of  the 
head,  but  the  lad  was  fairly  browbeaten  into  quiet ; 
and,  to  the  great  satisfaction  of  all,  with  a double 


A LITTLE  HERO. 


113 


share  of  blackness  and  blood,  and  with  very  little 
sympathy  from  any  one,  but  with  his  eye  straight,  he 
descended  from  the  table.  Outside  he  was  receiv- 
ed with  a loud  shout  by  the  boys,  and  we  never 
heard  of  him  again. 

The  room  was  now  full  of  people,  and,  being  al- 
ready disgusted  with  the  practice  of  surgery,  I sin- 
cerely hoped  that  this  exhibition  would  cure  all  oth- 
ers of  a wish  to  undergo  the  operation,  but  a little 
Mestizo  boy,  about  ten  years  old,  who  had  been 
present  all  the  time,  crept  through  the  crowd,  and, 
reaching  the  table,  squinted  up  at  us  without  speak- 
ing, his  crisscross  expression  telling  us  very  plainly 
what  he  wanted.  He  had  on  the  usual  Mestizo  dress 
of  cotton  shirt  and  drawers  and  straw  hat,  and  seemed 
so  young,  simple,  and  innocent,  that  we  did  not  con- 
sider him  capable  of  judging  for  himself.  We  told 
him  he  must  not  be  operated  on,  but  he  answered, 
in  a decided  though  modest  tone,  “ Yo  quiero,  yo 
quiero,”  “ I wish  it,  I wish  it.”  We  inquired  if  there 
was  any  one  present  who  had  any  authority  over 
him,  and  a man  whom  we  had  not  noticed  before, 
dressed,  like  him,  in  shirt  and  drawers,  stepped  for- 
ward and  said  he  was  the  boy’s  father;  he  had 
brought  him  there  himself  on  purpose,  and  begged 
Doctor  Cabot  to  proceed.  By  his  father’s  directions, 
the  little  fellow  attempted  to  climb  up  on  the  table, 
but  his  legs  were  too  short,  and  he  had  to  be  lifted 
up.  His  eye  was  bandaged,  and  his  head  placed 
upon  the  pillow.  He  folded  his  hands  across  his 
VOL.  I.— P 


114 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


breast,  turned  his  eye,  did  in  all  things  exactly  as  he 
was  directed,  and  in  half  a minute  the  operation  was 
finished.  I do  not  believe  that  he  changed  his  posi- 
tion a hair’s  breadth  or  moved  a muscle.  It  was  an 
extraordinary  instance  of  fortitude.  The  spectators 
were  all  admiration,  and,  amid  universal  congratula- 
tion, he  was  lifted  from  the  table,  his  eye  bound  up, 
and,  without  a word,  but  with  the  spirit  of  a little 
hero,  he  took  his  father’s  hand  and  went  away. 

At  this  time,  amid  a press  of  applicants,  a gentle- 
man came  to  inform  us  that  a young  lady  was  wait- 
ing her  turn.  This  gave  us  an  excuse  for  clearing 
the  room,  and  we  requested  all  except  the  medical 
gentlemen  and  the  immediate  friends  to  favour  us 
with  their  absence.  Such  was  the  strange  curiosity 
these  people  had  for  seeing  a most  disagreeable  spec- 
tacle, that  they  were  very  slow  in  going  away,  and 
some  slipped  into  the  other  rooms  and  the  yard,  but 
we  ferreted  them  out,  and  got  the  room  somewhat 
to  ourselves. 

The  young  lady  was  accompanied  by  her  moth- 
er. She  was  full  of  hesitation  and  fears,  anxious  to 
be  relieved,  but  doubting  her  ability  to  endure  the 
pain,  and  the  moment  she  saw  the  instruments,  her 
courage  entirely  forsook  her.  Doctor  Cabot  dis- 
couraged all  who  had  any  distrust  of  their  own  for- 
titude, and,  to  my  mingled  joy  and  regret,  she  wrent 
away. 

The  next  in  order  was  the  gentleman  on  whose 
account  we  had  postponed  our  departure.  He  wras 


A MILITARY  PATIENT. 


115 


the  oldest  general  in  the  Mexican  service,  but  for 
two  years  an  exile  in  Merida.  By  the  late  revolu- 
tion, which  placed  Santa  Ana  in  power,  his  party 
was  uppermost ; and  he  had  strong  claims  upon  our 
good  feelings,  for,  in  a former  expatriation  from  Mex- 
ico, he  had  served  as  volunteer  aid  to  General  Jack- 
son  at  the  battle  of  New-Orleans.  This  gentleman 
had  an  inward  squint  in  both  eyes,  which,  however, 
instead  of  being  a defect,  gave  character  to  his  face ; 
but  his  sight  was  injured  by  it,  and  this  Doctor  Ca- 
bot thought  might  be  improved.  The  first  eye  was 
cut  quickly  and  successfully,  and  while  the  bloody 
orb  was  rolling  in  its  socket,  the  same  operation  was 
performed  upon  the  other.  In  this,  however,  fear- 
ing that  the  eye  might  be  drawn  too  far  in  the  op- 
posite direction,  the  doctor  had  not  thought  it  ad- 
visable to  cut  the  muscle  entirely  through,  and,  on 
examining  it,  he  was  not  satisfied  with  the  appear- 
ance. The  general  again  laid  his  head  upon  the 
pillow,  and  the  operation  was  repeated,  making  three 
times  in  rapid  succession.  Altogether,  it  was  a try- 
ing thing,  and  I felt  immensely  happy  when  it  was 
over.  With  his  eyes  all  right  and  both  bandaged, 
we  carried  him  to  a caleza  in  waiting,  where,  to  the 
great  amusement  of  the  vagabond  boys,  he  took  his 
seat  on  the  footboard,  with  his  back  to  the  horse,  and 
it  was  some  time  before  we  could  get  him  right. 

In  the  mean  time  the  young  lady  had  returned 
with  her  mother.  She  could  not  bear  to  lose  the 
opportunity,  and  though  unable  to  make  up  her  mind 


116 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


to  undergo  the  operation,  she  could  not  keep  away. 
She  was  about  eighteen,  of  lively  imagination,  pic- 
turing pleasure  or  pain  in  the  strongest  colours,  and 
with  a smile  ever  ready  to  chase  away  the  tear.  At 
one  moment  she  roused  herself  to  the  effort,  and  the 
next,  calling  herself  coward,  fell  into  her  mother’s 
arms,  while  her  mother  cheered  and  encouraged  her, 
representing  to  her,  with  that  confidence  allowed  be- 
fore medical  men,  the  advantage  it  -would  give  her 
in  the  eyes  of  our  sex.  Her  eyes  were  large,  full, 
and  round,  and  with  the  tear  glistening  in  them,  the 
defect  was  hardly  visible ; in  fact,  all  that  they  want- 
ed was  to  be  made  to  roll  in  the  right  direction. 

'!  I have  given  the  reader  a faint  picture  of  Daguer- 
reotype practice  with  young  ladies,  but  this  was  al- 
together another  thing,  and  it  was  very  different  from 
having  to  deal  with  boys  or  men.  It  is  easy  enough 
to  spread  out  a boy  upon  a table,  but  not  so  with  a 
young  lady  ; so,  too,  it  is  easy  enough  to  tie  a bandage 
around  a boy’s  head,  but  vastly  different  among  combs 
and  curls,  and  long  hair  done  up  behind.  As  the 
principal  assistant  of  Doctor  Cabot,  this  complica- 
ted business  devolved  upon  me ; and  having,  with 
the  help  of  her  mother,  accomplished  it,  I laid  her 
head  upon  the  pillow  as  carefully  as  if  it  had  been 
my  own  property.  In  all  the  previous  cases  I had 
found  it  necessary,  in  order  to  steady  my  hand,  to 
lean  my  elbow  on  the  table,  and  my  wrist  on  the 
forehead  of  the  patient.  I did  the  same  with  her, 
and,  if  I know  myself,  I never  gazed  into  any  eyes 


PRACTICE  OF  SURGERY  ABANDONED.  117 

as  I did  into  that  young  lady’s  one  eye  in  particular. 
When  the  doctor  drew  out  the  instrument,  I certain- 
ly could  have  taken  her  in  my  arms,  but  her  imagi- 
nation had  been  too  powerful ; her  eyes  closed,  a 
slight  shudder  seized  her,  and  she  fainted.  That 
passed  off,  and  she  rose  with  her  eyes  all  right.  A 
young  gentleman  was  in  attendance  to  escort  her 
to  her  home,  and  the  smile  had  again  returned  to 
her  cheek  as  he  told  her  that  now  her  lover  would 
not  know  her. 

This  case  had  occupied  a great  deal  of  time  ; the 
doctor’s  labours  were  doubled  by  the  want  of  regu- 
lar surgical  aid,  he  was  fatigued  with  the  excitement, 
and  I was  worn  out ; my  head  was  actually  swim- 
ming with  visions  of  bleeding  and  mutilated  eyes, 
and  I almost  felt  doubtful  about  my  own.  The  rep- 
etition of  the  operations  had  not  accustomed  me  to 
them ; indeed,  the  last  was  more  painful  to  me  than 
the  first,  and  I felt  willing  to  abandon  forever  the 
practice  of  surgery.  Doctor  Cabot  had  explained 
the  modus  operandi  fully  to  the  medical  gentlemen, 
had  offered  to  procure  them  instruments,  and  consid- 
ering the  thing  fairly  introduced  into  the  country,  we 
determined  to  stop.  But  this  was  not  so  easy ; the 
crowd  out  of  doors  had  their  opinion  on  the  subject; 
the  biscos  considered  that  we  were  treating  them 
outrageously,  and  became  as  clamorous  as  a mob  in 
a western  city  about  to  administer  Lynch  law.  One 
would  not  be  kept  back.  He  was  a strapping  youth, 
with  cast  enough  in  his  eye  to  carry  everything  be- 


118 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


fore  him,  and  had  probably  been  taunted  all  his  life 
by  merciless  schoolboys.  Forcing  himself  inside, 
with  his  hands  in  his  pockets,  he  said  that  he  had 
the  money  to  pay  for  it,  and  would  not  be  put  off. 
We  were  obliged  to  apologize,  and,  with  a little  wish 
to  bring  him  down,  gave  him  some  hope  that  he 
should  be  attended  to  on  our  return  to  Merida. 

The  news  of  these  successes  flew  like  wild-fire,  and 
a great  sensation  was  created  throughout  the  city. 
All  the  evening  Doctor  Cabot  was  besieged  with  ap- 
plications, and  I could  but  think  how  fleeting  is  this 
world’s  fame  ! At  first  my  arrival  in  the  country 
had  been  fairly  trumpeted  in  the  newspapers  ; for 
a little  while  Mr.  Catherwood  had  thrown  me  in  the 
shade  with  the  Daguerreotype,  and  now  all  our  glo- 
ries were  swallowed  up  by  Doctor  Cabot’s  cure  of 
strabismus.  Nevertheless,  his  fame  was  reflected 
upon  us.  All  the  afternoon  squint-eyed  boys  were 
passing  up  and  down  the  street,  throwing  slanting 
glances  in  at  the  door,  and  toward  evening,  as  Mr. 
Catherwood  and  I were  walking  to  the  plaza,  we 
were  hailed  by  some  vagabond  urchins  with  the  ob- 
streperous shout,  “ There  go  the  men  who  cure  the 
biscos.” 


DEPARTURE  FROM  MERIDA.  119 


CHAPTER  VI. 

Departure  from  Merida. — Map  of  Yucatan. — Timucui. — Tekoh. — 
Human  Sculls  and  Bones. — Church  of  Tekoh. — Convent. — A 
revolting  Spectacle. — View  from  the  Top  of  the  Church. — Cura 
of  Tekoh. — Journey  continued. — A curious  Basin. — Telchaquil- 
lo. — A subterraneous  Well. — An  extraordinary  Cave. — Hacien- 
da of  Joaquim. — Ruins  of  Mayapan. — A remarkable  Mound. — 
Curious  sculptured  Remains. — Another  extraordinary  Cave. — A 
circular  Edifice. — A double  Row  of  Columns. — Ranges  of 
Mounds. — Arches. — Derivation  of  the  Word  Yucatan. — Ancient 
City  of  Mayapan. 

On  Thursday,  the  twelfth  day  of  November,  we 
rose  for  our  departure  from  Merida.  The  plan  of 
our  route,  and  all  the  arrangements  for  our  journey, 
were  made  by  our  friend  Don  Simon  Peon.  Early 
in  the  morning  our  luggage  was  sent  forward  on  the 
backs  of  mules  and  Indians,  and  we  had  only  to  take 
leave  of  our  friends.  Our  landlord  refused  to  re- 
ceive the'  four  dollars  due  to  him  for  rent.  The 
pleasure  of  our  society,  he  said,  was  compensation 
enough,  and  between  friends  house-rent  was  not  to 
be  thought  of.  We  bade  him  an  affectionate  fare- 
well, and  in  all  probability  “ we  ne’er  shall  see  his 
like  again,”  at  least  in  this  matter  of  house-rent. 
We  breakfasted  for  the  last  time  with  our  country- 
men, including  Mr.  Fisher  and  Captain  M‘Kinley, 
who  had  arrived  that  morning  direct  from  New- 
York,  at  the  house  of  the  Dona  Micaela,  and,  at- 
tended by  the  good  wishes  of  all  for  our  safety  and 
success,  mounted  for  our  journey  into  the  interior. 

It  was  our  intention  to  resume  our  explorations 


120 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


at  Uxmal,  the  point  where  we  were  interrupted  by 
the  illness  of  Mr.  Catherwood.  We  had  received 
intelligence,  however,  of  the  ruins  of  Mayapan,  an 
ancient  city  which  had  never  been  visited,  about 
eight  leagues  distant  from  Merida,  and  but  a few 
leagues  aside  from  the  road,  by  the  haciendas,  to 
Uxmal.  The  accounts  which  wre  could  obtain  were 
meager,  and  it  was  represented  as  completely  in  ru- 
ins ; but,  in  fulfilment  of  the  purpose  we  at  that  time 
entertained  of  going  to  every  place  of  which  we 
heard  any  account  whatever,  we  determined  to  visit 
this  on  our  way  to  Uxmal.  It  was  for  Mayapan, 
therefore,  that  we  were  now  setting  out. 

Our  saddles,  bridles,  holsters,  and  pistols,  being  en- 
tirely different  from  the  mountings  of  horsemen  in 
that  country,  attracted  all  eyes  as  we  rode  through 
the  streets.  A friend  accompanied  us  beyond  the 
suburbs,  and  put  us  into  a straight  road,  which  led, 
without  turning,  to  the  end  of  our  day’s  journey. 
Instead  of  the  ominous  warnings  we  were  accus- 
tomed to  receive  in  Central  America,  his  parting 
words  were,  that  there  was  no  danger  of  robbers,  or 
of  any  other  interruptions. 

Under  these  favourable  circumstances,  in  good 
health  and  spirits,  with  recommendations  from  the 
government  to  its  officers  in  different  sections  of  the 
country,  and  through  the  newspapers  to  the  hospi- 
tality of  citizens  in  the  interior,  we  set  out  on  our 
journey.  We  had  before  us  a new  and  unexplored 
region,  in  which  we  might  expect  to  find  new  scenes 


MAP  OF  YUCATAN. 


121 


every  day.  There  was  but  one  drawback.  We 
had  no  servant  or  attendant  of  any  kind,  our  friends 
having  been  disappointed  in  procuring  those  which 
were  expected.  This,  however,  did  not  give  us 
much  uneasiness. 

The  day  was  overcast,  which  saved  us  from  the 
scorching  sun,  that  otherwise,  at  this  hour,  would 
have  molested  us.  The  road  was  straight,  level, 
stony,  and  uninteresting.  On  both  sides  were  low, 
thick  woods,  so  that  there  was  no  view  except  that 
of  the  road  before  us  ; and  already,  in  the  beginning 
of  our  journey,  we  felt  that,  if  we  were  safe  from 
the  confusion  and  danger  which  had  attended  us  in 
Central  America,  we  had  lost,  too,  the  mountains, 
valleys,  volcanoes,  rivers,  and  all  the  wild  and  mag- 
nificent scenery  that  gave  a charm  to  the  country 
in  spite  of  the  difficulties  and  dangers  by  which 
travelling  was  there  attended. 

I would  remark  that  no  map  of  Yucatan  at  all  to 
be  depended  on  has  ever  been  published.  The 
Dona  Joaquin  a Peon  had  one  in  manuscript,  which 
she  was  so  kind  as  to  place  at  our  disposal,  but  with 
notice  that  it  was  not  correct ; and,  in  order  to  keep 
a record  of  our  own  track  from  the  time  we  left 
Merida  until  we  returned  to  it,  we  took  the  bearings 
of  the  roads,  noted  the  number  of  hours  on  each 
day’s  journey,  and  the  pace  of  our  horses,  and  at 
some  places  Mr.  Catlierwood  took  an  observation 
for  latitude.  From  these  memoranda  our  map  is 
prepared.  It  is  correct  so  far  as  regards  our  route, 

vol.  i.— a 11 


122 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


but  does  not  fix  accurately  the  location  of  places 
which  we  did  not  visit. 

At  the  distance  of  a league  we  passed  a fine  cat- 
tle hacienda,  and  at  twenty  minutes  past  one  reach- 
ed Timucui,  a small  village  five  leagues  from  Mer- 
ida. This  village  consisted  of  a few  Indian  huts, 
built  around  a large  open  square,  and  on  one  side 
was  a sort  of  shed  for  a casa  real.  It  had  no  church 
or  cura,  and  already  we  experienced  a difficulty 
which  we  did  not  expect  to  encounter  so  soon. 
The  population  consisted  entirely  of  Indians,  who 
in  general  throughout  the  country  speak  nothing  but 
the  Maya ; there  was  not  a white  man  in  the  place, 
nor  any  one  who  could  speak  in  any  tongue  that  we 
could  comprehend.  Fortunately,  a muleteer  from 
the  interior,  on  his  way  to  Merida,  had  stopped  to 
bait  his  mules  under  the  shade  of  a large  tree,  and 
was  swinging  in  a hammock  in  the  casa  real.  He 
was  surprised  at  our  undertaking  alone  a journey 
into  the  interior,  seeing  that  we  were  brought  to  a 
stand  at  the  first  village  from  the  capital ; but,  find- 
ing us  somewhat  rational  in  other  respects,  he  as- 
sisted us  in  procuring  ramon  leaves  and  water  for 
the  horses.  His  life  had  been  passed  in  driving 
mules  from  a region  of  country  called  the  Sierra,  to 
the  capital ; but  he  had  heard  strange  stories  about 
foreign  countries,  and,  among  others,  that  in  El 
Norte  a man  could  earn  a dollar  a day  by  his  la- 
bour ; but  he  was  comforted  when  he  learned  that 
a real  in  his  country  was  worth  more  to  him  than  a 


VILLAGE  OF  TEKOH. 


123 


dollar  would  be  in  ours ; and  as  lie  interpreted  to 
his  nearly  naked  companions,  crouching  in  the 
shade,  nothing  touched  them  so  nearly  as  the  idea 
of  cold  and  frost,  and  spending  a great  portion  of 
the  day’s  earnings  for  fuel  to  keep  from  freezing. 

At  three  o’clock  we  left  the  hamlet,  and  at  a lit- 
tle after  four  we  saw  the  towers  of  the  church  of 
Tekoh.  In  the  suburbs  of  this  village  we  passed 
the  campo  santo,  a large  enclosure  with  high  stone 
walls ; over  the  gateway  of  which,  and  in  niches 
along  the  top  of  the  wall,  was  a row  of  human 
skulls.  Inside  the  enclosure,  at  the  farthest  extrem- 
ity, was  a pile  of  skulls  and  bones,  which,  according 
to  a custom  of  the  Indians  observed  from  time  im- 
memorial, had  been  dug  up  from  the  graves  and 
thrown  into  this  shallow  pit,  a grim  and  ghastly 
charnel-house. 

The  village  consisted  of  a long,  straight  street, 
with  houses  or  huts  almost  hidden  by  foliage,  and 
inhabited  exclusively  by  Indians.  We  rode  up  to 
the  plaza  without  meeting  a single  person.  At  one 
side  of  the  plaza,  on  a high  stone  platform,  stood  a 
gigantic  church,  with  two  lofty  towers,  and  in  front 
and  on  each  side  was  a broad  flight  of  stone  steps. 
Crossing  the  plaza  we  saw  an  Indian  woman,  to 
whom  we  uttered  the  word  convento , and,  follow- 
ing the  direction  of  her  hand,  rode  up  to  the  house 
of  the  cura.  It  was  in  the  rear  of  the  church,  and 
enclosed  by  a large  wall.  The  gate  was  closed,  but 
we  opened  it  without  knocking.  The  convent 


124 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


stood  on  the  same  platform  with  the  church,  and 
had  a high  flight  of  stone  steps.  A number  of  In- 
dian servants  ran  out  to  the  corridor,  to  stare  at 
such  strange-looking  persons,  and  we  understood 
that  the  padre  was  not  at  home ; but  we  were  too 
well  pleased  with  the  appearance  of  things  to  think 
of  going  elsewhere.  We  tied  our  horses  in  the  yard, 
ascended  the  steps,  and  strolled  through  the  corridor 
of  the  convent  and  along  the  platform  of  the  church, 
overlooking  the  village. 

Before  the  door  of  the  church  lay  the  body  of  a 
child  on  a bier.  There  was  no  coffin,  but  the  body 
was  wrapped  in  a tinsel  dress  of  paper  of  different 
colours,  in  which  red  and  gold  were  predominant ; 
and  amid  this  finery  worms  several  inches  long  were 
issuing  from  its  nostrils,  curling  and  twisting  over 
its  face : a piteous  and  revolting  spectacle,  showing 
the  miserable  lot  of  the  children  of  the  poor  in  these 
Indian  villages. 

In  a few  minutes  the  ministro,  or  assistant  of  the 
cura,  joined  us,  from  whom  we  learned  that  the 
cura  was  preparing  to  bury  this  child,  and  as  soon 
as  it  was  over,  would  come  to  receive  us.  In  the 
mean  time,  under  his  escort,  we  ascended  to  the 
top  of  the  church. 

The  ascent  was  by  a large  stone  staircase  within 
one  of  the  towers.  The  top  commanded  a view  of 
a great  plain,  covered  by  an  almost  boundless  forest, 
extending  on  one  side  to  the  sea,  and  on  the  other 
to  the  sierra  which  crosses  the  peninsula  of  Yuca- 


CURA  OF  TEKOH. 


125 


tan,  and  runs  back  to  the  great  traversing  range  in 
Guatimala,  broken  only  by  a high  mound,  which 
at  three  leagues’  distance  towered  above  the  plain, 
a mourning  monument  of  the  ruins  of  Mayapan, 
the  capital  of  the  fallen  kingdom  of  Maya. 

On  our  return  we  found  the  cura,  Don  Jose  Ca- 
nuta  Vela,  waiting  to  receive  us  ; he  had  been  noti- 
fied of  our  coming,  and  had  expected  us  the  day 
before.  His  curacy  consisted  of  nearly  two  thou- 
sand souls,  and,  except  his  ministro,  we  did  not  see 
a white  man  among  this  population.  He  was  un- 
der thirty,  born  and  bred  in  Merida,  and  in  manners 
and  attainments  apparently  out  of  place  in  such  a 
position  ; but  his  feelings  and  sympathies  were  iden- 
tified with  the  people  under  his  charge.  The  con- 
vent was  a great  stone  building,  with  walls  several 
feet  thick,  and  in  size  corresponded  with  the  church. 
Being  so  near  Merida,  it  was  more  than  ordinarily 
well  supplied  with  comforts ; and,  among  other 
things,  the  cura  had  a small  collection  of  books, 
which,  for  that  country,  constituted  quite  a library. 

He  relieved  us  of  all  difficulty  arising  from  the 
want  of  an  interpreter,  and,  sending  for  the  Indian 
alcaldes,  made  immediate  arrangements  to  forward 
our  luggage,  and  to  accompany  us  himself  the  next 
day  to  the  ruins  of  Mayapan.  We  had  again  made 
a beginning  with  the  padres,  and  this  beginning,  in 
heartiness  of  welcome  and  goodness  of  cheer,  cor- 
responded with  all  that  we  had  before  received  at 


126 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


their  hands.  We  had  the  choice  of  cot  or  ham- 
mock for  the  night,  and  at  breakfast  a group  of  In- 
dian musicians  were  seated  under  the  corridor,  who 
continued  making  a noise,  which  they  called  la  mu- 
sica,  till  we  mounted  to  depart. 

The  cura  accompanied  us,  mounted  on  one  of  the 
best  horses  we  had  seen  in  the  country;  and  as  it 
was  a rare  thing  for  him  to  absent  himself  a day 
from  his  parochial  duties,  he  set  out  as  for  a holy- 
day  excursion,  worrying  our  poor  nags,  as  well  as 
ourselves,  to  keep  up  with  him. 

The  road  upon  which  we  entered  turned  off  ab- 
ruptly from  the  camino  real.  This  royal  road  itself, 
like  most  of  the  others  which  bore  that  name,  would 
not  be  considered,  in  other  countries,  as  indicating  a 
very  advanced  state  of  internal  improvement,  but  the 
one  into  which  we  now  struck  was  much  rougher 
and  more  stony,  entirely  new,  and  in  some  places 
still  unfinished.  It  had  been  but  lately  opened,  and 
the  reason  of  its  being  opened  at  all  illustrates  one 
striking  feature  in  the  character  of  the  Indians.  The 
village  to  which  it  leads  was  under  the  pastoral 
charge  of  our  friendly  companion,  and  was  former- 
ly reached  by  a road,  or  rather  path,  so  circuitous 
and  difficult  that,  on  account  of  his  other  duties,  he 
was  obliged  to  give  notice  that  he  would  be  compel- 
led to  give  it  up.  To  prevent  this  calamity,  all  the 
Indians,  in  a body,  turned  out  and  made  this  new 
road,  being  a straight  cut  through  the  woods,  two 
leagues  in  length. 


A CURIOUS  BASIN. 


127 


The  padre  took  a lively  interest  in  the  zeal  late- 
ly awakened  for  exploring  the  antiquities  of  the 
country,  and  told  us  that  this  particular  region 
abounded  with  traces  of  the  ancient  inhabitants.  At 
a short  distance  from  the  camino  real  we  came  to  a 
line  of  fallen  stones,  forming  what  appeared  to  be 
the  remains  of  a wall  which  crossed  the  road,  and 
ran  off  into  the  forest  on  both  sides,  traversing,  he 
said,  the  country  for  a great  distance  in  both  direc- 
tions. 

A short  distance  beyond,  we  turned  off  to  a large 
hollow  basin  perfectly  dry,  which  he  called  an  agua- 
da,  and  said  it  was  an  artificial  formation,  excavated 
and  walled  around,  and  had  been  used  by  the  ancients 
as  a reservoir  for  water.  At  the  time,  we  did  not 
agree  with  him,  but  considered  the  basin  a natural 
formation,  though,  from  what  we  saw  afterward,  we 
are  induced  to  believe  that  his  account  may  have 
been  correct. 

At  ten  o’clock  we  reached  the  small  village  of 
Telchaquillo,  containing  a population  of  six  hundred 
souls,  and  these,  again,  were  all  Indians.  It  was 
they  who  had  made  the  road  we  had  travelled  over, 
and  the  church  was  under  our  friend’s  pastoral 
charge.  We  rode  to  the  convent,  and  dismounted. 
Immediately  the  bell  of  the  church  tolled,  to  give  no- 
tice of  his  arrival,  that  all  who  wished  to  confess  or 
get  married,  who  had  sick  to  be  visited,  children  to 
be  baptized,  or  dead  to  be  buried,  might  apply  to 
him,  and  have  their  wants  attended  to. 


128 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


The  village  consisted  entirely  of  huts,  or  casas  de 
paja.  The  church  had  been  commenced  on  a large 
scale,  under  the  direction  of  a former  cura,  who  af- 
terward became  dissatisfied  with  the  people,  and 
discontinued  the  building.  One  end  was  covered 
over,  and  fitted  up  rudely  as  a chapel ; beyond  were 
two  high  walls,  but  roofless. 

In  the  square  of  this  little  village  was  a great  se- 
note,  or  subterraneous  well,  which  supplied  all  the 
inhabitants  with  water.  At  a distance  the  square 
seemed  level  and  unbroken  ; but  women  walking 
across  it  with  cantaros  or  water-jars  suddenly  disap- 
peared, and  others  seemed  to  rise  out  of  the  earth. 
On  a nearer  approach,  we  found  a great  orifice  or 
opening  in  the  rocky  surface,  like  the  mouth  of  a 
cave.  The  descent  was  by  irregular  steps  cut  and 
worn  in  the  rocks.  Over  head  was  an  immense 
rocky  roof,  and  at  a distance  of  perhaps  five  hun- 
dred feet  from  the  mouth  was  a large  basin  or  res- 
ervoir of  water.  Directly  over  the  water  the  roof 
was  perhaps  sixty  feet  high ; and  there  was  an 
opening  above  which  threw  down  a strong  body 
of  light.  The  water  had  no  current,  and  its  source 
was  a mystery.  During  the  rainy  season  it  rises  a 
little,  but  never  falls  below  a certain  point,  and  at 
all  times  it  is  the  only  source  of  supply  to  the  in- 
habitants. Women,  with  their  water-jars,  were 
constantly  ascending  and  descending  ; swallows 
were  darting  through  the  cave  in  every  direction, 
and  the  whole  formed  a wild,  picturesque,  and  ro- 
mantic scene. 


AN  EXTRAORDINARY  CAVE. 


129 


At  this  village  we  found  waiting  for  us  the  major 
domo  of  the  hacienda  of  San  Joaquin,  on  which 
stand  the  ruins  of  Mayapan.  Leaving  the  senote, 
we  mounted  and  followed  him. 

At  the  distance  of  half  a mile  he  stopped  near  a 
great  cave  that  had  lately  been  discovered,  and 
which,  he  said,  had  no  end.  Tying  our  horses  to 
the  bushes,  we  turned  off  to  visit  it.  The  major 
domo  cut  a path  a short  distance  into  the  woods, 
following  which  we  came  to  a large  hollow,  over- 
grown with  trees,  and,  descending,  entered  a great 
cavern  with  a lofty  roof,  and  gigantic  passages 
branching  off  in  different  directions,  and  running  no 
one  knew  whither.  The  cave  had  been  discovered 
by  the  major  domo  and  some  vaqueros  while  in  pur- 
suit of  robbers  who  had  stolen  a bull ; and  no  rob- 
ber’s cave  in  romantic  story  could  equal  it  in  wild- 
ness. The  major  domo  said  he  had  entered  it  with 
ten  men,  and  had  passed  four  hours  in  exploration 
without  finding  any  end.  The  cave,  its  roof,  base, 
and  passages,  were  an  immense  fossil  formation. 
Marine  shells  were  conglomerated  together  in  solid 
masses,  many  of  them  perfect,  showing  a geological 
structure  which  indicated  that  the  whole  country, 
or,  at  least,  that  portion  of  it,  had  been  once,  and 
probably  at  no  very  remote  period,  overflowed  by 
the  sea. 

We  could  have  passed  a day  with  much  satisfac- 
tion in  rambling  through  this  cave,  but,  remaining 
only  a few  minutes,  and  taking  away  some  curious 

Vol.  I. — R, 


130 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


and  interesting  specimens,  we  remounted,  and  very 
soon  reached  mounds  of  earth,  fragments  ol  sculp- 
tured stones,  broken  walls,  and  fallen  buildings,  in- 
dicating that  we  were  once  more  treading  upon  the 
sepulchre  of  an  aboriginal  city. 

At  eleven  o’clock  we  came  to  a clearing,  in  which 
was  situated  the  hacienda  of  San  Joaquin.  The 
building  was  a mere  rancho,  erected  only  for  the 
residence  of  a mayoral,  a person  inferior  to  a major 
domo ; but  there  was  a fine  clearing  around  it,  and 
the  situation  was  wild  and  beautiful.  In  the  cattle- 
yard  were  noble  trees.  In  the  platform  of  the  well 
were  sculptured  stones  taken  from  the  ancient 
buildings  ; it  was  shaded  by  the  spreading  branches 
of  a fine  ramon  or  tropical  oak,  with  a foliage  of 
vivid  green ; and  crowning  the  top,  and  apparently 
growing  out  of  it,  were  the  long,  pale  leaves  of 
the  cocoanut. 

The  hacienda,  or  rather  rancho,  of  San  Joaquin, 
on  which  the  ruins  of  Mayapan  lie  scattered,  is  ten 
leagues  south  from  Merida.  It  forms  part  of  the 
great  hacienda  of  Xcanchakan,  the  property  of 
Don  Jose  Maria  Meneses,  the  venerable  cura  of 
San  Cristoval,  formerly  provesor  of  the  Church  of 
Yucatan.  We  had  made  the  acquaintance  of  this 
gentleman  at  the  house  of  his  friend  Senor  Rejon, 
secretary  of  state,  and  he  had  sent  instructions  to 
his  major  domo,  the  same  who  had  met  us  at  the 
last  village,  to  place  at  our  command  all  the  dispo- 
sable force  of  the  hacienda. 


RUINS  OF  MAYAPAN, 


131 


The  rains  of  Mayapan  cover  a great  plain,  which 
was  at  that  time  so  overgrown  that  hardly  any  ob- 
ject was  visible  until  we  were  close  upon  it,  and  the 
undergrowth  was  so  thick  that  it  was  difficult  to 
work  our  way  through  it.  Our’s  was  the  first  visit 
to  examine  these  ruins.  For  ages  they  had  been 
unnoticed,  almost  unknown,  and  left  to  struggle  with 
rank  tropical  vegetation  ; and  the  major  domo,  who 
lived  on  the  principal  hacienda,  and  had  not  seen 
them  in  twenty-three  years,  was  more  familiar  with 
them  than  any  other  person  we  could  find.  He 
told  us  that  within  a circumference  of  three  miles, 
ruins  were  found,  and  that  a strong  wall  once  en- 
compassed the  city,  the  remains  of  which  might  still 
be  traced  through  the  woods. 

At  a short  distance  from  the  hacienda,  but  invisi- 
ble on  account  of  the  trees,  rises  the  high  mound 
which  we  had  seen  at  three  leagues’  distance,  from 
the  top  of  the  church  at  Tekoh,  and  which  is  rep- 
resented in  the  following  engraving.  It  is  sixty  feet 
high,  and  one  hundred  feet  square  at  the  base  ; and, 
like  the  mounds  at  Palenque  and  Uxmal,  it  is  an 
artificial  structure,  built  up  solid  from  the  plain. 
Though  seen  from  a great  distance  above  the  tops 
of  the  trees,  the  whole  field  was  so  overgrown  that 
it  was  scarcely  visible  until  we  reached  its  foot ; 
and  the  mound  itself,  though  retaining  the  symme- 
try of  its  original  proportions,  was  also  so  over- 
grown that  it  appeared  a mere  wooded  hill,  but  pe- 


132 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


culiar  in  its  regularity  of  shape.  Four  grand  stair- 
cases, each  twenty-five  feet  wide,  ascended  to  an 
esplanade  within  six  feet  of  the  top.  This  espla- 
nade was  six  feet  in  width,  and  on  each  side  was  a 
smaller  staircase  leading  to  the  top.  These  stair- 
cases are  in  a ruinous  condition ; the  steps  are  al- 
most entirely  gone,  and  we  climbed  up  by  means  of 
fallen  stones  and  trees  growing  out  of  its  sides.  As 
we  ascended,  we  scared  away  a cow,  for  the  wild 
cattle  roaming  on  these  wooded  wastes  pasture  on 
its  sides,  and  ascend  to  the  top. 


CURIOUS  SCULPTURED  REMAINS.  133 

* 

The  summit  was  a plain  stone  platform,  fifteen 
feet  square.  It  had  no  structure  upon  it,  nor  were 
there  vestiges  of  any.  Probably  it  was  the  great 
mound  of  sacrifice,  on  which  the  priests,  in  the  sight 
of  the  assembled  people,  cut  out  the  hearts  of  hu- 
man victims.  The  view  commanded  from  the  top 
was  a great  desolate  plain,  with  here  and  there 
another  ruined  mound  rising  above  the  trees,  and 
far  in  the  distance  could  be  discerned  the  towers 
of  the  church  at  Tekoh. 

Around  the  base  of  this  mound,  and  throughout 
the  woods,  wherever  we  moved,  were  strewed  sculp- 
tured stones.  Most  of  them  were  square,  carved  on 
the  face,  and  having  a long  stone  tenon  or  stem  at 
the  back ; doubtless  they  had  been  fixed  in  the  wall, 
so  as  to  form  part  of  some  ornament,  or  combina- 
tion of  ornaments,  in  the  facade,  in  all  respects  the 
same  as  at  Uxmal. 

Besides  these,  there  were  other  and  more  curious 
remains.  These  were  representations  of  human  fig- 
ures, or  of  animals,  with  hideous  features  and  expres- 
sions, in  producing  which  the  skill  of  the  artist  seems 
to  have  been  expended.  The  sculpture  of  these 
figures  was  rude,  the  stones  were  timeworn,  and 
many  were  half  buried  in  the  earth.  The  following 
engraving  represents  two  of  them.  One  is  four,  and 
the  other  three  feet  high.  The  full  length  seems 
intended  to  represent  a warrior  with  a shield.  The 
arms  are  broken  off,  and  to  my  mind  they  conveyed 
a lively  idea  of  the  figures  or  idols  which  Bernal 

12 


134 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


Dias  met  with  on  the  coast,  containing  hideous  faces 
of  demons.  Probably,  broken  and  half  buried  as 
they  lie,  they  were  once  objects  of  adoration  and 
worship,  and  now  exist  as  mute  and  melancholy 
memorials  of  ancient  paganism. 

At  a short  distance  from  the  base  of  the  mound 
was  an  opening  in  the  earth,  forming  another  of 
those  extraordinary  caves  before  presented  to  the 
reader.  The  cura,  the  major  domo,  and  the  In- 
dians called  it  a senote,  and  said  that  it  had  sup- 
plied the  inhabitants  of  the  old  city  with  water. 
The  entrance  was  by  a broken,  yawning  mouth, 
steep,  and  requiring  some  care  in  the  descent.  At 
the  first  resting-place,  the  mouth  opened  into  an  ex- 


ANOTHER  REMARKABLE  CAVE.  135 


tensive  subterraneous  chamber,  with  a high  roof, 
and  passages  branching  off  in  every  direction.  In 
different  places  were  remains  of  fires  and  the  bones 
of  animals,  showing  that  it  had  at  times  been  the 
place  of  refuge  or  residence  of  men.  In  the  en- 
trance of  one  of  the  passages  we  found  a sculptured 
idol,  which  excited  us  with  the  hope  of  discovering 
some  altar  or  sepulchre,  or  perhaps  mummied  fig- 
ures. With  this  hope,  we  sent  the  Indians  to  pro- 
cure torches;  and  while  Mr.  Catherwood  was  ma- 
king some  sketches,  Doctor  Cabot  and  myself  pass- 
ed an  hour  in  exploring  the  recesses  of  the  cave. 
In  many  places  the  roof  had  fallen,  and  the  passa- 
ges were  choked  up.  We  followed  several  of  them 
with  much  toil  and  disappointment,  and  at  length 
fell  into  one,  low  and  narrow,  along  which  it  was 
necessary  to  crawl  on  the  hands  and  feet,  and  where, 
from  the  flame  and  smoke  of  the  torches,  it  was 
desperately  hot.  We  at  length  came  to  a body  of 
water,  which,  on  thrusting  the  hand  into  it,  we 
found  to  be  incrusted  with  a thin  coat  of  sulphate 
of  lime,  that  had  formed  on  the  top  of  the  water, 
but  decomposed  on  being  brought  into  the  air. 

Leaving  the  cave  or  senote,  we  continued  ram- 
bling' among  the  ruins.  The  mounds  were  all  of  the 
same  general  character,  and  the  buildings  had  en- 
tirely disappeared  on  all  except  one ; but  this  was 
different  from  any  we  had  at  that  time  seen,  though 
we  afterward  found  others  like  it. 

It  stood  on  a ruined  mound  about  thirty  feet  high. 


136 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL 


What  the  shape  of  the  mound  had  been  it  was  diffi- 
cult to  make  out,  but  the  building  was  circular.  The 
following  engraving  represents  this  edifice,  with  the 


DOUBLE  ROW  OF  COLUMNS. 


137 


mound  on  which  it  stands.  The  exterior  is  of  plain 
stone,  ten  feet  high  to  the  top  of  the  lower  cornice, 
and  fourteen  more  to  that  of  the  upper  one.  The 
door  faces  the  west,  and  over  it  is  a lintel  of  stone. 
The  outer  wall  is  five  feet  thick ; the  door  opens 
into  a circular  passage  three  feet  wide,  and  in  the 
centre  is  a cylindrical  solid  mass  of  stone,  without 
any  doorway  or  opening  of  any  kind.  The  whole 
diameter  of  the  building  is  twenty-five  feet,  so  that, 
deducting  the  double  width  of  the  wall  and  passage, 
this  centre  mass  must  be  nine  feet  in  thickness. 
The  walls  had  four  or  five  coats  of  stucco,  and  there 
were  remains  of  painting,  in  which  red,  yellow, 
blue,  and  white  were  distinctly  visible. 

On  the  southwest  side  of  the  building,  and  on  a 
terrace  projecting  from  the  side  of  the  mound,  was 
a double  row  of  columns  eight  feet  apart,  of  which 
only  eight  remained,  though  probably,  from  the  frag- 
ments around,  there  had  been  more,  and,  by  clear- 
ing away  the  trees,  more  might  have  been  found 
still  standing.  In  our  hurried  visit  to  Uxmal,  we 
had  seen  objects  which  we  supposed  might  have 
been  intended  for  columns,  but  were  not  sure ; and 
though  we  afterward  saw  many,  we  considered 
these  the  first  decided  columns  we  had  seen.  They 
were  two  feet  and  a half  in  diameter,  and  consisted 
of  five  round  stones,  eight  or  ten  inches  thick,  laid 
one  upon  another.  They  had  no  capitals,  and 
what  particular  connexion  they  had  with  the  build- 
ing did  not  appear. 

Vol.  I.— S 


138 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


So  far,  although  the  fragments  of  sculpture  were 
of  the  same  general  character  as  at  Uxmal,  we  had 
not  found  any  edifice  sufficiently  entire  to  enable  us 
to  identify  that  peculiar  arch  which  we  had  found 
in  all  the  ruined  buildings  of  this  country;  but 
it  was  not  wanting.  At  some  distance  from  this 
place,  and  on  the  other  side  of  the  hacienda,  were 
long  ranges  of  mounds.  These  had  once  been 
buildings,  the  tops  of  which  had  fallen,  and  almost 
buried  the  structures.  At  the  end  was  a doorway, 
encumbered  and  half  filled  with  rubbish,  crawl- 
ing through  which,  we  stood  upright  in  apartments 
exactly  similar  to  those  at  Uxmal,  with  the  arch 
formed  of  stones  overlapping,  and  a flat  stone  cover- 
ing the  top.  The  apartments  were  ruder  and  nar- 
rower, but  they  were  of  precisely  the  same  charac- 
ter with  all  the  others  we  had  seen. 

The  day  was  now  nearly  spent;  with  the  heat 
and  labour  we  were  exceedingly  fatigued,  and  the 
Indians  insisted  that  we  had  seen  all  the  principal 
remains.  The  place  was  so  overgrown  with  trees 
that  it  would  have  taken  a long  time  to  clear  them 
away,  and  for  the  present  at  least  it  was  out  of  the 
question.  Besides,  the  only  result  we  could  prom- 
ise ourselves  was  the  bringing  to  light  of  fragments 
and  single  pieces  of  buried  sculpture.  Of  one  thing, 
however,  we  had  no  doubt : the  ruins  of  this  city 
were  of  the  same  general  character  with  those  at 
Uxmal,  erected  by  the  same  builders,  probably  of 
older  date,  and  suffering  more  from  the  corrosion  of 


DERIVATION  OF  THE  WORD  YUCATAN.  139 

the  elements,  or  they  had  been  visited  more  harshly 
by  the  destroying  hand  of  man. 

Fortunately,  at  this  place  again  we  have  a ray  of 
historic  light.  According  to  the  best  accounts,  the 
region  of  country  now  called  Yucatan  was  known 
to  the  natives,  at  the  time  of  the  Spanish  invasion, 
by  the  name  of  Maya,  and  before  that  time  it  had 
never  been  known  by  any  other.  The  name  of 
Yucatan  was  given  to  it  by  the  Spaniards.  It  is 
entirely  arbitrary  and  accidental,  and  its  origin  is 
not  known  with  certainty.  It  is  supposed  by  some 
to  be  derived  from  the  plant  known  in  the  islands  by 
the  name  of  Yuca,  and  tal  or  thale,  the  heap  of  earth 
in  which  this  plant  grows  ; but  more  generally  it  is 
derived  from  certain  words  supposed  to  have  been 
spoken  by  the  natives  in  answer  to  a question  asked 
by  the  Spaniards  on  their  first  arrival.  The  sup- 
posed question  is,  “What  is  the  name  of  this  coun- 
try?” or,  “ How  is  this  country  called?”  and  the  con- 
jectured answer,  “I  do  not  understand  those  words,” 
or,  “ I do  not  understand  your  words,”  either  of 
which  expressions,  in  the  language  of  the  natives, 
has  some  resemblance  in  pronunciation  to  the  word 
Yucatan.  But  whatever  was  its  origin,  the  natives 
have  never  recognised  the  name,  and  to  this  day, 
among  themselves,  they  speak  of  their  country  only 
under  its  ancient  name  of  Maya.  No  native  ever 
calls  himself  a Yucateco,  but  always  a Macegual,  or 
native  of  the  land  of  Maya. 

One  language,  called  the  Maya,  extended  through- 


140 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


out  the  whole  peninsula ; and  though  the  Spaniards 
found  the  country  parcelled  into  different  govern- 
ments, under  various  names  and  having  different  ca- 
ciques, hostile  to  each  other,  at  an  earlier  period  of 
its  history  the  whole  land  of  Maya  was  united  un- 
der one  head  or  supreme  lord.  This  great  chief  or 
king  had  for  the  seat  of  his  monarchy  a very  popu- 
lous city  called  Mayapan,  and  had  under  him  many 
other  lords  and  caciques,  who  were  bound  to  pay 
him  tribute  of  cotton  clothes,  fowls,  cacao,  and  gum 
or  resin  for  incense ; to  serve  him  in  wars,  and  day 
and  night  in  the  temples  of  the  idols,  at  festivals 
and  ceremonies.  These  lords,  too,  had  under  them 
cities  and  many  vassals.  Becoming  proud  and  am- 
bitious, and  unwilling  to  brook  a superior,  they  re- 
belled against  the  power  of  the  supreme  lord,  united 
all  their  forces,  and  besieged  and  destroyed  the  city 
of  Mayapan.  This  destruction  took  place  in  the 
year  of  our  Lord  1420,  about  one  hundred  years, 
or,  according  to  Herrera,  about  seventy  years,  before 
the  arrival  of  the  Spaniards  in  Yucatan  ; and,  ac- 
cording to  the  computation  of  the  ages  of  the  In- 
dians, two  hundred  and  seventy  years  from  the 
foundation  of  the  city.  The  account  of  all  the  de- 
tails is  confused  and  indistinct ; but  the  existence 
of  a principal  city  called  Mayapan,  and  its  destruc- 
tion by  war  at  about  the  time  indicated,  are  men- 
tioned by  every  historian.  This  city  was  occupied 
by  the  same  race  of  people  who  inhabited  the  coun- 


ANCIENT  CITY  OF  MAYAPAN. 


141 


try  at  the  time  of  the  conquest,  and  its  site  is  iden- 
tified as  that  which  has  just  been  presented  to  the 
reader,  retaining,  through  all  changes  and  in  its  ruins, 
its  ancient  name  of  Mayapan, 


142 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

An  Accident. — Journey  continued. — Hacienda  of  Xcanchakan. — 
An  Indian  Dance. — Whipping  an  Indian. — Hacienda  of  Mucuy- 
chd. — A Bath  in  a Senote. — Hacienda  of  San  Jose. — Arrival  at 
Uxmal. — First  Sight  of  the  Ruins. — Changes  since  last  Visit. — 
House  of  the  Dwarf. — House  of  the  Nuns. — Casa  del  Goberna- 
dor. — Residence  at  the  Ruins. — Unpromising  Appearances.— 
How  to  make  a Fire. — Instance  of  Perseverance. — Arrival  of 
Luggage  on  the  Backs  of  Indians. — First  Night  at  Uxmal. 

The  interest  of  our  day  at  Mayapan  came  near 
being  marred  by  an  unlucky  accident.  Just  as  we 
were  leaving  the  ruins  a messenger  came  to  inform 
us  that  one  of  our  pistols  had  shot  anfindian. 
These  pistols  had  never  shown  any  particiwar  antip- 
athy to  Indians,  and  had  never  shot  one  bffore  ; but, 
hurrying  back  to  the  hacienda,  we  found  the  poor 
fellow  with  two  of  his  fingers  nearly  shot  off.  The 
ball  had  passed  through  his  shirt,  making  two  holes 
in  it,  fortunately  without  hitting  his  body.  The  In- 
dians said  that  the  pistol  had  gone  off  of  itself  while 
they  were  only  looking  at  it.  We  felt  sure  that  this 
was  not  exactly  the  case,  knowing  that  pistols  are 
not  free  agents,  and  laid  the  blame  upon  them  ; but 
it  was  a great  satisfaction  that  the  accident  was  no 
worse,  and  also  that  Doctor  Cabot  was  at  hand  to 
dress  the  wound.  The  Indian  seemed  to  think  less 
of  it  than  we  did. 

It  was  late  when  we  left  the  hacienda.  Our  road 


HACIENDA  OF  XCANCHAKAN.  143 

was  a mere  bridle-path  through  a wilderness.  At 
some  distance  we  crossed  a broken  range  of  stones, 
rising  on  each  side  to  a wall,  which  the  major  domo 
said  was  the  line  of  wall  that  encompassed  the  an- 
cient city. 

It  was  nearly  dark  when  we  reached  the  stately 
hacienda  of  Xcanchakan,  one  of  the  three  finest  in 
Yucatan,  and  containing  nearly  seven  hundred  souls. 
The  plate  opposite  represents  the  front  of  this  ha- 
cienda. The  house  is  perhaps  one  of  the  best  in 
the  country,  and  being  within  one  day’s  ride  of  the 
capital,  and  accessible  by  calesa,  it  is  a favourite  res- 
idence of  its  venerable  proprietor.  The  whole  con- 
dition of  the  hacienda  showed  that  it  was  often  sub- 
ject to  the  master’s  eye,  and  the  character  of  that 
master  may  be  judged  of  from  the  fact  that  his  ma- 
jor domo,  the  same  who  was  attendant  upon  us,  had 
been  with  him  twenty-six  years. 

I have  given  the  reader  some  idea  of  a hacienda 
in  Yucatan,  with  its  cattle-yard,  its  great  tanks  of 
water  and  other  accessories.  All  these  were  upon 
a large  and  substantial  scale,  equal  to  any  we  had 
seen  ; and  there  was  one  little  refinement  in  their  ar- 
rangement, which,  though  not,  perhaps,  intended  for 
that  purpose,  could  not  fail  to  strike  the  eye  of  a 
stranger.  The  passage  to  the  well  was  across  the 
corridor,  and,  sitting  quietly  in  the  shade,  the  pro- 
prietor could  see  every  day,  passing  and  repassing, 
all  the  women  and  girls  belonging  to  the  estate. 

Our  friend  the  cura  of  Tekoh  was  still  with  us, 


144 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


and  the  Indians  of  the  hacienda  were  within  his  cu- 
racy. Again  immediately  upon  our  arrival  the  bell 
of  the  church  was  tolled  to  announce  his  arrival  to 
the  sick,  those  who  wished  to  confess,  marry,  or  be 
baptized.  This  over,  it  struck  the  solemn  note  of 
the  oracion , or  vesper  prayers.  All  rose,  and,  with 
uncovered  heads,  stood  silent  till  the  last  note  died 
away,  all,  according  to  the  beautiful  injunction  of 
the  Catholic  Church,  breathing  an  inward  prayer. 
Then  they  bade'  each  other  a buenas  noches,  each 
kissed  the  cura’s  hand,  and  then,  with  his  petata,  or 
straw  hat,  in  his  hand,  came  to  us,  bowing  respect- 
fully, and  wishing  each  of  us  also  the  good  night. 

The  cura  still  considered  us  on  his  hands,  and,  in 
order  to  entertain  us,  requested  the  major  domo  to 
get  up  a dance  of  the  Indians.  Very  soon  we  heard 
the  sound  of  the  violins  and  the  Indian  drum.  This 
latter  consists  of  a hollow  log  about  three  feet  long, 
with  a piece  of  parchment  stretched  over  the  end, 
on  which  an  Indian,  holding  it  under  his  left  arm, 
beats  with  his  right  hand.  It  is  the  same  instru- 
ment known  to  the  inhabitants  at  the  time  of  the 
conquest  by  the  name  of  tunkul  and  is  the  fa- 
vourite now.  Going  out  into  the  back  corridor,  we 
saw  the  musicians  sitting  at  one  end,  before  the  door 
of  the  chapel ; on  one  side  of  the  corridor  were  the 
women,  and  on  the  other  the  men.  For  some  time 
there  was  no  dancing,  until,  at  length,  at  the  in- 
stance of  the  cura,  the  major  domo  gave  his  direc- 
tions, and  a young  man  stood  up  in  the  middle  of 


AN  INDIAN  DANCE. 


145 


the  corridor.  Another,  with  a pocket-handkerchief 
in  his  hand  having  a knot  tied  in  one  end,  walked 
along  the  line  of  women,  threw  the  handkerchief  at 
one,  and  then  returned  to  his  seat.  This  was  con- 
sidered a challenge  or  invitation  ; but,  with  a proper 
prudery,  as  if  to  show  that  she  was  not  to  be  had  for 
the  asking,  she  waited  some  minutes,  then  rose,  and 
slowly  taking  the  shawl  from  her  head,  placed  her- 
self opposite  the  young  man,  at  a distance  of  about 
ten  feet,  and  commenced  dancing.  The  dance  was 
called  the  toros,  or  the  bull.  The  movements  were 
slow  ; occasionally  the  performers  crossed  over  and 
changed  places,  and  when  the  time  ended  the  lady 
walked  deliberately  off,  which  either  brought  the 
young  man  to  a stand-still,  or  he  went  on  dancing, 
as  he  liked.  The  manager  or  master  of  ceremo- 
nies, who  was  called  the  bastonero,  again  walked 
along  the  line,  and  touched  another  lady  in  the  same 
way  with  the  handkerchief.  She  again,  after  wait- 
ing a moment,  removed  her  shawl  and  took  her 
place  on  the  floor ; and  in  this  way  the  dance  con- 
tinued, the  dancing  man  being  always  the  same,  and 
taking  the  partner  provided  for  him.  Afterward  the 
dance  was  changed  to  a Spanish  one,  in  which,  in- 
stead of  castanets,  the  dancers  from  time  to  time 
snapped  their  fingers.  This  was  more  lively,  and 
seemed  to  please  them  better  than  their  own,  but 
throughout  there  was  nothing  national  or  charac- 
teristic. 

Early  in  the  morning  we  were  roused  by  loud 

Vol.  I.— T 13 


146 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


bursts  of  music  in  the  church.  The  cura  was  giv- 
ing them  the  benefit  of  his  accidental  visit  by  an 
early  mass.  After  this  we  heard  music  of  a differ- 
ent kind.  It  was  the  lash  on  the  back  of  an  Indian. 
Looking  out  into  the  corridor,  we  saw  the  poor  fel- 
low on  his  knees  on  the  pavement,  with  his  arms 
clasped  around  the  legs  of  another  Indian,  so  as  to 
present  his  back  fair  to  the  lash.  At  every  blow  he 
rose  on  one  knee,  and  sent  forth  a piercing  cry.  He 
seemed  struggling  to  restrain  it,  but  it  burst  from  him 
in  spite  of  all  his  efforts.  His  whole  bearing  show- 
ed the  subdued  character  of  the  present  Indians, 
and  with  the  last  stripe  the  expression  of  his  face 
seemed  that  of  thankfulness  for  not  getting  more. 
Without  uttering  a word,  he  crept  to  the  major 
domo,  took  his  hand,  kissed  it,  and  walked  away. 
No  sense  of  degradation  crossed  his  mind.  Indeed, 
so  humbled  is  this  once  fierce  people,  that  they  have 
a proverb  of  their  own,  “ Los  Indios  no  oigan  si  no 
por  las  nalgas” — “ The  Indians  cannot  hear  except 
through  their  backs,”  and  the  cura  related  to  us  a 
fact  which  indicates  an  abasement  of  character  per- 
haps never  found  in  any  other  people.  In  a village 
not  far  distant,  the  name  of  which  I have  lost,  they 
have  a fiesta  with  a scenic  representation  called 
Shtol.  The  scene  is  laid  at  the  time  of  the  con- 
quest. The  Indians  of  the  village  gather  within  a 
large  place  enclosed  by  poles,  and  are  supposed  to 
be  brought  together  by  an  invasion  of  the  Spaniards. 
An  old  man  rises  and  exhorts  them  to  defend  their 


HACIENDA  OF  MUCUYCHE 


147 


country  ; if  need  be,  to  die  for  it.  The  Indians  are 
roused,  but  in  the  midst  of  his  exhortations  a stran- 
ger enters  in  the  dress  of  a Spaniard  and  armed 
with  a musket.  The  sight  of  this  stranger  throws 
them  all  into  consternation  ; he  fires  the  musket, 
and  they  fall  to  the  ground.  He  binds  the  chief, 
carries  him  off  captive,  and  the  play  is  ended. 

After  breakfast  the  cura  left  us  to  return  to  his 
village,  and  we  set  out  to  continue  our  journey  to 
Uxmal.  Our  luggage  was  sent  off  by  Indians  of  the 
hacienda,  and  the  major  domo  accompanied  us  on 
horseback.  Our  road  was  by  a bridle  path  over  the 
same  stony  country,  through  thick  woods.  The 
whole  way  it  lay  through  the  lands  of  the  provisor, 
all  wild,  waste,  and  desolate,  and  showing  the  fatal 
effects  of  accumulation  in  the  hands  of  large  landed 
proprietors.  In  two  hours  we  saw  rising  before  us 
the  gate  of  the  hacienda  of  Mucuyche.  To  the  as- 


148 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


tonishraent  of  the  gaping  Indians,  the  doctor,  as  he 
wheeled  his  horse,  shot  a hawk  that  was  hovering 
over  the  pinnacle  of  the  gateway,  and  we  rode  up 
to  the  house. 

I trust  the  reader  has  not  forgotten  this  fine  ha- 
cienda. It  was  the  same  to  which,  on  our  former 
visit,  we  had  been  borne  on  the  shoulders  of  In- 
dians, and  in  which  we  had  taken  a bath  in  a 
senote,  never  to  be  forgotten.  We  were  once  more 
on  the  hands  of  our  old  friend  Don  Simon  Peon. 
The  whole  hacienda,  horses,  mules,  and  Indians, 
were  at  our  disposal.  It  was  but  ten  o’clock,  and 
we  intended  to  continue  our  journey  to  Uxmal,  but 
first  we  resolved  upon  another  bath  in  the  senote. 
My  first  impression  of  the  beauty  of  this  fancy 
bathing-place  did  not  deceive  me,  and  the  first 
glance  satisfied  me  that  I incurred  no  risk  in  intro- 
ducing to  it  a stranger.  A light  cloud  of  almost 
imperceptible  dust,  ascribed  to  the  dripping  of  the 
waters  of  the  rainy  season,  or  perhaps  made  visible 
by  the  rays  of  the  midday  sun,  rested  on  the  surface, 
but  underneath  were  the  same  crystal  fluid  and  the 
same  clear  bottom.  Very  soon  we  were  in  the  wa- 
ter, and  before  we  came  out  we  resolved  to  postpone 
our  journey  till  the  next  day,  for  the  sake  of  an 
evening  bath. 

As  the  reader  is  now  on  ground  which  I trust  he 
has  travelled  before,  I shall  merely  state  that  the 
next  day  we  rode  on  to  the  hacienda  of  San  Jose, 
where  we  stopped  to  make  some  preparations,  and 


ARRIVAL  AT  UXMAL.  149 


Senote. 

on  the  fifteenth,  at  eleven  o'clock,  we  reached  the 
hacienda  of  Uxmal. 

It  stood  in  its  suit  of  sombre  gray,  with  cattle- 
yard,  large  trees,  and  tanks,  the  same  as  when  we 
left  it,  but  there  were  no  friends  of  old  to  welcome 
us  : the  Delmonico  major  domo  had  gone  to  To- 


150 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


basco,  and  the  other  had  been  obliged  to  leave  on 
account  of  illness.  The  mayoral  remembered  us, 
but  we  did  not  know  him;  and  we  determined  to 
pass  on  and  take  up  our  abode  immediately  in  the 
ruins.  Stopping  but  a few  minutes,  to  give  direc- 
tions about  the  luggage,  we  mounted  again,  and  in 
ten  minutes,  emerging  from  the  woods,  came  out 
upon  the  open  field  in  which,  grand  and  lofty  as 
when  we  saw  it  before,  stood  the  House  of  the 
Dwarf ; but  the  first  glance  showed  us  that  a year 
had  made  great  changes.  The  sides  of  the  lofty 
structure,  then  bare  and  naked,  were  now  covered 
with  high  grass,  bushes,  and  weeds,  and  on  the  top 
were  bushes  and  young  trees  twenty  feet  high. 
The  House  of  the  Nuns  was  almost  smothered,  and 
the  whole  field  was  covered  with  a rank  growth  of 
grass  and  weeds,  over  which  we  could  barely  look 
as  we  rode  through.  The  foundations,  terraces,  and 
tops  of  the  buildings  were  overgrown,  weeds  and 
vines  were  rioting  and  creeping  on  the  facades,  and 
mounds,  terraces,  and  ruins  were  a mass  of  destroying 
verdure.  A strong  and  vigorous  nature  was  strug- 
gling for  mastery  over  art,  wrapping  the  city  in  its 
suffocating  embraces,  and  burying  it  from  sight.  It 
seemed  as  if  the  grave  was  closing  over  a friend,  and 
we  had  arrived  barely  in  time  to  take  our  farewell. 

Amid  this  mass  of  desolation,  grand  and  stately 
as  when  we  left  it,  stood  the  Casa  del  Gobernador, 
but  with  all  its  terraces  covered,  and  separated  from 
us  by  a mass  of  impenetrable  verdure. 


ESTABLISHING  QUARTERS. 


151 


On  the  left  of  the  field  was  an  overgrown  milpa, 
along  the  edge  of  which  a path  led  in  front  of  this 
building.  Following  this  path,  we  turned  the  corner 
of  the  terrace,  and  on  the  farthest  side  dismounted, 
and  tied  our  horses.  The  grass  and  weeds  were 
above  our  heads,  and  we  could  see  nothing.  The 
mayoral  broke  a way  through  them,  and  we  reached 
the  foot  of  the  terrace.  Working  our  way  over  the 
stones  with  much  toil,  we  reached  the  top  of  the 
highest  terrace.  Here,  too,  the  grass  and  weeds 
were  of  the  same  rank  growth.  We  moved  direct- 
ly to  the  wall  at  the  east  end,  and  entered  the  first 
open  door.  Here  the  mayoral  wished  us  to  take 
up  our  abode ; but  we  knew  the  localities  better 
than  he  did,  and,  creeping  along  the  front  as  close 
to  the  wall  as  possible,  cutting  some  of  the  bushes, 
and  tearing  apart  and  trampling  down  others,  we 
reached  the  centre  apartment.  Here  we  stopped. 
Swarms  of  bats,  roused  by  our  approach,  fluttered 
and  flew  through  the  long  chamber,  and  passed  out 
at  the  doors. 

The  appearance  of  things  was  not  very  promis- 
ing for  a place  of  residence.  There  were  two  salas, 
each  sixty  feet  long ; that  in  front  had  three  large 
doors,  opening  upon  the  encumbered  terrace,  and 
the  other  had  no  windows  and  but  one  door.  In  both 
there  was  an  extreme  sensation  of  closeness  and 
dampness,  with  an  unpleasant  smell,  and  in  the  back 
room  was  a large  accumulation  of  dirt  and  rubbish. 
Outside,  high  grass  and  weeds  were  growing  into 


152 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


the  very  doorway.  We  could  not  move  a step,  and 
all  view  was  completely  cut  off.  After  the  extreme 
heat  of  the  sun  out  of  doors,  we  were  in  a profuse 
perspiration  from  climbing  up  the  terrace,  and  the 
dank  atmosphere  induced  a feeling  of  chilliness 
which  made  us  reflect  seriously  upon  what  we  had 
not  sufficiently  regarded  before. 

Throughout  Yucatan  “el  campo,”  or  the  country, 
is  considered  unhealthy  in  the  rainy  season.  We 
had  arrived  in  Yucatan  counting  upon  the  benefit  of 
the  whole  dry  season,  which  generally  begins  in  No- 
vember and  lasts  till  May;  but  this  year  the  rains  had 
continued  longer  than  usual,  and  they  were  not  yet 
over.  The  proprietors  of  haciendas  were  still  cau- 
tious about  visiting  them,  and  confined  themselves 
to  the  villages  and  towns.  Among  all  the  hacien- 
das, Uxinal  had  a reputation  pre-eminent  for  its  un- 
healthiness. Every  person  who  had  ever  been  at 
work  among  the  ruins  had  been  obliged  by  sickness 
to  leave  them.  Mr.  Catherwood  had  had  sad  expe- 
rience, and  this  unhealthiness  was  not  confined  to 
strangers.  The  Indians  suffered  every  season  from 
fevers  ; many  of  them  were  at  that  time  ill,  and  the 
major  domo  had  been  obliged  to  go  away.  All  this 
we  had  been  advised  of  in  Merida,  and  had  been 
urged  to  postpone  our  visit ; but  as  this  would  have 
interfered  materially  with  our  plan,  and  as  we  had 
with  us  a “ medico”  who  could  cure  “ biscos,”  we 
determined  to  risk  it.  On  the  spot,  however,  per- 
ceiving the  dampness  of  the  apartments  and  the 


HOW  TO  MAKE  A FIRE. 


153 


rankness  of  vegetation,  we  felt  that  we  had  been  im- 
prudent; but  it  was  too  late  to  draw  back,  even  if  we 
had  wished  to  do  so.  We  agreed  that  we  were  bet- 
ter on  this  high  terrace  than  at  the  hacienda,  which 
stood  low,  and  had  around  it  great  tanks  of  water, 
mantled  with  green,  and  wearing  a very  fever-and- 
aguish  aspect.  We  therefore  set  to  work  immedi- 
ately to  make  the  best  of  our  condition. 

The  mayoral  left  us  to  take  the  horses  back  to 
the  hacienda,  and  give  directions  about  the  luggage, 
and  we  had  only  a little  Indian  boy  to  help  us. 
Him  we  employed  to  clear  with  his  machete  a 
space  before  the  principal  doorway,  and  in  order  to 
change  as  quickly  as  possible  the  damp,  unwhole- 
some atmosphere  within,  we  undertook  to  kindle  a 
fire  ourselves.  For  this  purpose  we  made  a large 
collection  of  leaves  and  brush,  which  we  placed  in 
one  corner  of  the  back  corridor,  and,  laying  stones 
at  the  bottom,  built  up  a pile  several  feet  high,  and 
set  fire  to  it.  The  blaze  crept  through  the  pile, 
burning  the  light  combustible  stuff,  and  went  out. 
We  kindled  it  again,  and  the  result  was  the  same. 
Several  times  we  thought  we  had  succeeded,  but 
the  dampness  of  the  place  and  of  the  materials  baf- 
fled our  efforts,  and  extinguished  the  flame.  We 
exhausted  all  our  odd  scraps  of  paper  and  other 
availables,  and  were  left  with  barely*  a spark  of  fire 
to  begin  anew.  The  only  combustible  we  had  left 
was  gunpowder,  of  which  we  made  what  the  boys 
call  a squib,  by  wetting  a quantity  of  it,  and  this, 
Vol.  I.— U 


154 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


done  up  in  a ball,  we  ignited  under  the  pile.  It  did 
not  answer  fully,  but  gave  us  encouragement,  and 
we  made  a larger  ball  of  the  same,  which  we  igni- 
ted with  a slow  match.  It  blew  our  pile  to  atoms, 
and  scattered  the  materials  in  all  directions.  Our 
ingenuity  had  now  been  taxed  to  the  uttermost,  and 
our  resources  were  exhausted.  In  extremity  we 
called  in  the  boy. 

He  had,  in  the  mean  time,  been  more  successful ; 
for,  continuing  the  work  at  which  we  had  set  him, 
with  characteristic  indifference  taking  no  notice  of 
our  endeavours,  he  had  cleared  a space  of  several 
yards  around  the  door.  This  admitted  a sunbeam, 
which,  like  the  presence  of  a good  spirit,  gladdened 
and  cheered  all  within  its  reach.  We  intimated  to 
him  by  signs  that  we  wanted  a fire,  and,  without 
paying  any  respect  to  what  we  had  done,  he  began 
in  his  own  way,  with  a scrap  of  cotton,  which  he 
picked  up  from  the  ground,  and,  lighting  it,  blew  it 
gently  in  his  folded  hands  till  it  was  all  ignited. 
He  then  laid  it  on  the  floor,  and,  throwing  aside  all 
the  material  we  had  been  using,  looked  around  care- 
fully, and  gathered  up  some  little  sticks,  not  larger 
than  matches,  which  he  laid  against  the  ignited  cot- 
ton, with  one  point  on  the  ground  and  the  other 
touching  the  fire.  Then  kneeling  down,  he  encir- 
cled the  nascent  fire  with  his  two  hands,  and  blew 
gently  on  it,  with  his  mouth  so  close  as  almost  to 
touch  it.  A slight  smoke  rose  above  the  palms  of 
his  hands,  and  in  a few  minutes  he  stopped  blowing. 


PRIMITIVE  PHILOSOPHY. 


155 


Placing  the  little  sticks  carefully  together,  so  that 
all  their  points  touched  the  fire,  he  went  about  pick- 
ing up  others  a little  larger  than  the  first,  and  laying 
them  in  order  one  by  one.  With  the  circumference 
of  his  hands  a little  extended,  he  again  began  blow- 
ing gently ; the  smoke  rose  a little  stronger  than  be- 
fore. From  time  to  time  he  gently  changed  the 
position  of  the  sticks,  and  resumed  his  blowing.  At 
length  he  stopped,  but  whether  in  despair  or  satis- 
fied with  the  result  seemed  doubtful.  He  had  a 
few  little  sticks  with  a languishing  fire  at  one  end, 
which  might  be  extinguished  by  dropping  a few 
tears  over  it.  We  had  not  only  gone  beyond  this, 
but  had  raised  a large  flame,  which  had  afterward 
died  away.  Still  there  was  a steadiness,  an  assu- 
rance in  his  manner  that  seemed  to  say  he  knew 
what  he  was  about.  At  all  events,  we  had  nothing 
to  do  but  watch  him.  Making  a collection  of  lar- 
ger sticks,  and  again  arranging  them  in  the  same 
way  as  before,  taking  care  not  to  put  them  so  close 
together  as  to  smother  the  fire,  with  a circumference 
too  large  for  the  space  of  his  hands,  but  of  materials 
so  light  as  easily  to  be  thrown  into  confusion,  he 
again  commenced  blowing,  so  gently  as  not  to  dis- 
turb a single  stick,  and  yet  to  the  full  power  that 
the  arrangement  would  bear.  The  wood  seemed 
to  feel  the  influence  of  his  cherishing  care,  and  a 
full  body  of  smoke  rose  up  to  gladden  us,  and  bring 
tears  into  his  eyes.  With  the  same  imperturbable 
industry,  unconscious  of  our  admiration,  he  went 


156 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


on  again,  having  now  got  up  to  sticks  as  large  as 
the  finger.  These  he  coaxed  along  with  many 
tears,  and  at  the  next  size  he  saved  his  own  wind 
and  used  his  petata,  or  straw  hat.  A gentle  blaze 
rose  in  the  whole  centre  of  the  pile ; still  he  coax- 
ed it  along,  and  by  degrees  brought  on  sticks  as 
large  as  his  arm,  which,  by  a gentle  waving  of 
his  hat,  in  a few  minutes  were  all  ignited.  Our 
uncertainty  was  at  an  end.  The  whole  pile  was 
in  a blaze,  and  all  four  of  us  went  busily  to  work 
gathering  fuel.  There  was  no  necessity  for  dry 
wood ; we  cut  down  bushes,  and  carried  them  in 
green  ; all  burned  together ; the  flames  extended, 
and  the  heat  became  so  great  that  we  could  not 
approach  to  throw  on  more.  In  our  satisfaction 
with  the  result  we  did  not  stop  to  read  the  moral 
of  the  lesson  taught  us  by  the  Indian  boy.  The 
flames  were  fast  rectifying  the  damp,  unwholesome 
atmosphere,  and  inducing  more  warm  and  genial 
sensations.  Very  soon,  however,  this  bettering  of 
our  house’s  condition  drove  us  out  of  doors.  The 
smoke  rolled  through  the  long  apartment,  and,  curl- 
ing along  the  roof,  passed  into  the  front  sala,  where, 
dividing,  it  rushed  through  the  doors  in  three  dense 
bodies,  and  rolled  up  the  front  of  the  palace.  We 
sat  down  outside,  and  watched  it  as  it  rolled  away. 

While  this  was  going  on,  the  mayoral  crawled 
along  the  same  path  by  which  we  had  ascended, 
and  told  us  that  the  luggage  had  arrived.  How  it 
could  be  got  to  us  seemed  a problem.  The  slight 


HUMAN  BEASTS  OF  BURDEN. 


157 


clearing  on  the  upper  terrace  gave  us  a view  of  the 
lower  one,  which  was  an  unbroken  mass  of  bushes 
and  weeds  ten  or  twelve  feet  high.  Perhaps  half 
an  hour  had  elapsed,  when  we  saw  a single  Indian 
ascend  the  platform  of  the  second  terrace,  with  his 
machete  slowly  working  his  way  toward  us.  Very 
soon  the  top  of  a long  box  was  seen  rising  above 
the  same  terrace,  apparently  tottering  and  falling 
back,  but  rising  again  and  coming  on  steadily,  with 
an  Indian  under  it,  visible  from  time  to  time  through 
the  bushes.  Toward  the  foot  of  the  terrace  on 
which  we  were  it  disappeared,  and  after  a few  min- 
utes rose  to  the  top.  Holding  on  with  both  hands 
to  the  strap  across  his  forehead,  with  every  nerve 
strung,  and  the  veins  of  his  forehead  swelled  almost 
to  bursting,  his  face  and  his  whole  body  dripping 
with  sweat,  he  laid  his  load  at  our  feet.  A long 
line  followed  ; staggering,  panting,  and  trembling, 
they  took  the  loads  from  their  backs,  and  deposited 
them  at  the  door.  They  had  carried  these  loads 
three  leagues,  or  nine  miles,  and  we  paid  them 
eighteen  and  three  quarter  cents,  being  at  the  rate 
of  a medio , or  six  and  a quarter  cents,  per  league. 
We  gave  them  a medio  extra  for  bringing  the  things 
up  the  terrace,  and  the  poor  fellows  were  thankful 
and  happy. 

In  the  mean  time  the  fire  was  still  burning,  and 
the  smoke  rushing  out.  We  set  the  Indians  at 
work  on  the  terrace  with  their  machetes,  and  as 
the  smoke  rolled  away  we  directed  them  to  sweep 

14 


158 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


out  the  apartments.  For  brooms  they  had  merely 
to  cut  a handful  of  bushes,  and  to  shovel  out  the 
dirt  they  had  their  hands.  This  over,  we  had  our 
luggage  carried  in,  set  up  our  beds  in  the  back  sala, 
and  swung  our  hammocks  in  the  front.  At  nightfall 
the  Indians  left  us,  and  we  were  again  alone  in  the 
palace  of  unknown  kings. 

We  had  reached  the  first  point  of  our  journey; 
we  were  once  more  at  the  ruins  of  Uxmal.  It  was 
nearly  two  years  since  we  originally  set  out  in 
search  of  American  ruins,  and  more  than  a year 
since  we  were  driven  from  this  place.  The  fresh- 
ness and  enthusiasm  with  which  we  had  first  come 
upon  the  ruins  of  an  American  city  had  perhaps 
gone,  but  our  feelings  were  not  blunted,  and  all  the 
regret  which  we  had  felt  in  being  obliged  to  leave 
was  more  than  counterbalanced  by  the  satisfaction 
of  returning. 

It  was  in  this  spirit  that,  as  evening  came  on,  we 
swung  in  our  hammocks  and  puffed  away  all  trou- 
bles. The  bats,  retiring  to  their  nightly  haunt, 
seemed  startled  by  the  blaze  of  our  fire.  Owls  and 
other  birds  of  darkness  sent  up  their  discordant  cries 
from  the  woods,  and  as  the  evening  waned  we  found 
ourselves  debating  warmly  the  great  question  of  ex- 
citement at  home,  whether  M‘Leod  ought  to  be 
hanged  or  not. 

As  a measure  of  precaution,  and  in  order  to  have 
the  full  benefit  of  a medical  man’s  company,  we  be- 
gan immediately  upon  a course  of  preventive  treat- 


ANNOYANCE  FROM  MOSCHETOES.  159 

ment,  by  way  of  putting  ourselves  on  the  vantage 
ground  against  fever.  As  we  were  all  in  perfect 
health,  Dr.  Cabot  thought  such  a course  could  not 
hurt  us.  This  over,  we  threw  more  wood  upon  the 
pile  and  went  to  bed. 

Up  to  this  time  our  course  had  been  before  the 
wind.  Our  journey  from  Merida  had  again  been  a 
sort  of  triumphal  procession.  We  had  been  passed 
from  hacienda  to  hacienda,  till  we  fell  into  the  hos- 
pitable hands  of  Don  Simon  Peon,  and  we  were  now 
in  absolute  possession  of  the  ruins  of  Uxmal.  But 
very  soon  we  found  that  we  had  to  encounter  trou- 
bles from  which  neither  Don  Simon,  nor  the  gov- 
ernment, nor  recommendations  to  the  hospitality  of 
citizens  of  the  interior,  could  afford  us  protection. 
Early  in  the  evening  a few  straggling  moschetoes 
had  given  us  notice  of  the  existence  of  these  free 
and  independent  citizens  of  Yucatan;  but  while  we 
were  swinging  in  our  hammocks  and  the  fire  burn- 
ed brightly,  they  had  not  troubled  us  much.  Our 
heads,  however,  were  hardly  upon  our  pillows,  be- 
fore the  whole  population  seemed  to  know  exactly 
where  they  could  have  us,  and,  dividing  into  three 
swarms,  came  upon  us  as  if  determined  to  lift  us  up 
and  eject  us  bodily  from  the  premises.  The  flame 
and  volumes  of  smoke  which  had  rolled  through  the 
building,  in  ridding  us  of  the  damp,  unwholesome 
atmosphere,  seemed  only  to  have  started  these  tor- 
ments from  their  cracks  and  crevices,  and  filled  them 


160  INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 

with  thirst  for  vengeance  or  for  blood.  I spare  the 
reader  farther  details  of  our  first  night  at  Uxmal,  but 
we  all  agreed  that  another  such  would  drive  us  for- 
ever from  the  ruins. 


PERPLEXITIES. 


161 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

Perplexities. — Household  Wants. — Indian  Mode  of  boiling  Eggs. 
— Clearings. — A valuable  Addition. — Description  of  the  Ruins. 
— Casa  del  Gobernador. — Hieroglyphics. — Ornaments  over  the 
Doorways.  — Ground  Plan. — Doorways. — Apartments. — Great 
Thickness  of  the  back  Wall. — A Breach  made  in  the  Wall. — 
Prints  of  a Red  Hand. — Sculptured  Beam  of  Hieroglyphics. — 
Wooden  Lintels. — Loss  of  Antiquities  by  the  Burning  of  Mr. 
Catherwood’s  Panorama. — Terraces. — A curious  Stone. — Cir- 
cular Mound. — Discovery  of  a Sculptured  Monument. — Square 
Stone  Structure. — Sculptured  Heads.  — Staircase. — House  of 
the  Turtles. 

Morning  brought  with  it  other  perplexities.  We 
had  no  servant,  and  wanted  breakfast,  and  altogeth- 
er our  prospects  were  not  good.  We  did  not  expect 
to  find  the  hacienda  so  entirely  destitute  of  persons 
with  whom  we  could  communicate.  The  mayoral 
was  the  only  one  who  spoke  a word  of  Spanish,  and 
he  had  the  business  of  the  hacienda  to  attend  to. 
He  had  received  special  orders  from  his  master  to 
do  everything  in  his  power  to  serve  us.  but  the  pow- 
er of  his  master  had  limits.  He  could  not  make  the 
Indians,  who  knew  only  the  Maya,  speak  Spanish. 
Besides  this,  the  power  of  the  master  was  otherwise 
restricted.  In  fact,  except  as  regards  certain  obliga- 
tions which  they  owed,  the  Indians  were  their  own 
masters,  and,  what  was  worse  for  us,  their  own  mis- 
Vol.  I.— X 


162 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


tresses,  for  one  of  our  greatest  wants  was  a wom- 
an to  cook,  make  tortillas,  and  perform  those  nu- 
merous domestic  offices  without  which  no  house- 
hold can  go  on  well.  The  mayoral  had  given  us  no 
hope  of  being  able  to  procure  one  ; but  in  the  midst 
of  our  anxieties,  and  while  we  were  preparing  break- 
fast for  ourselves,  we  perceived  him  coming  across 
the  terrace,  followed  by  a train  of  Indians,  and  clos- 
ing the  procession  was  a woman,  at  that  time  real- 
ly a welcome  visiter.  The  mayoral  said  that  the 
evening  before,  on  his  return  to  the  hacienda,  he  had 
gone  round  to  all  the  huts,  and  proposed  to  woman 
after  woman,  promising  liberal  pay  and  good  treat- 
ment, but  they  all  refused  until  he  came  to  this  one, 
and  with  her  he  had  been  obliged  to  stipulate  that 
she  should  not  remain  at  the  ruins  in  the  night,  but 
should  return  home  every  evening.  This  was  a 
great  drawback,  as  we  wanted  to  breakfast  early,  but 
we  had  no  choice,  and  were  glad  to  get  her  upon  her 
own  terms. 

She  was  taller  than  most  of  the  Indian  women, 
and  her  complexion  was  somewhat  darker.  Her 
dress  fitted  more  closely  to  her  body,  and  she  had 
more  of  it.  Her  character  was  unimpeached,  her 
bearing  would  have  kept  presumption  at  a distance, 
and,  as  an  additional  safeguard,  she  had  with  her  a 
little  grandson,  named  Jose,  whose  complexion  indi- 
cated that  the  descending  line  of  her  house  had  no 
antipathies  to  the  white  race.  Her  age  might  be  a 
little  over  fifty,  and  her  name  was  Chaipa  Chi. 


BEGINNING  OF  OPERATIONS.  163 

The  preliminaries  being  settled,  we  immediately 
installed  her  as  chef  de  cuisine , without  assistants, 
and  sent  off  the  mayoral  to  direct  the  Indians  in 
some  clearings  which  we  wished  made  immediately. 
The  first  essay  of  Cbaipa  Chi  was  in  boiling  eggs, 
which,  according  to  the  custom  of  the  country,  she 
boiled  para  beber,  or  to  drink ; that  is,  by  breaking  a 
small  hole  in  the  shell,  into  which  a stick  is  inserted 
to  mix  together  the  white  and  yolk ; the  egg  is  to  be 
disposed  of  through  this  hole  in  the  primitive  way 
which  nature  indicates  to  the  new-born  babe.  This 
did  not  suit  us,  and  we  wished  the  process  of  cook- 
ing to  be  continued  a little  longer,  but  Chaipa  Chi 
was  impenetrable  to  hints  or  signs.  We  were  obli- 
ged to  stand  over  her,  and,  but  for  the  name  of  the 
thing,  we  might  as  well  have  cooked  them  ourselves. 
This  over,  we  gave  up,  and  left  our  dinner  to  the 
mercies  of  our  chef. 

Before  we  were  in  a condition  to  begin  an  exam- 
ination and  exploration  of  the  ruins,  we  had  a se- 
rious business  before  us  in  making  the  necessary 
clearings.  These  were  not  required  for  picturesque 
effect ; indeed,  overgrown  as  the  ruins  were,  they 
addressed  themselves  more  powerfully  to  the  ima- 
gination than  if  the  whole  field  and  every  stone  lay 
bare ; but  facilities  of  moving  from  place  to  place 
were  indispensable,  and  for  this  purpose  we  deter- 
mined first  to  clear  the  terrace  of  the  Casa  del  Gober- 
nador,  and  cut  roads  from  ruin  to  ruin,  until  we  had 
a complete  line  of  communication ; and  that  we 


164 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


might  know  exactly  our  whereabout,  Mr.  Cather- 
wood  took  an  observation,  by  which  he  found  the 
latitude  of  Uxmal  to  be  20°  27'  30"  N. 

Our  Indians  made  a good  beginning,  and  by  the  af- 
ternoon we  had  the  upper  terrace  cleared.  T oward 
evening  they  all  left  us,  including  Chaipa  Chi,  and 
at  night,  while  the  moon  was  glimmering  mournfully 
over  the  ruins,  we  had  a stroll  along  the  whole  front 
of  the  Casa  del  Gobernador. 

We  were  in  no  hurry  to  retire,  and  when  we  did 
so  it  was  with  some  misgivings.  Besides  a little 
general  attention  to  what  was  going  on  out  of  doors, 
the  principal  business  of  the  day  had  been  to  pre- 
pare our  moscheto-nets,  and  for  this  we  grudged  no 
time,  labour,  or  ingenuity  ; but  our  success  was  com- 
plete. Throughout  the  whole  long  apartment  there 
was  a continued  singing  and  whizzing,  lower  or 
louder  as  the  musicians  came  near  or  retired,  furi- 
ous at  being  defrauded  of  their  prey,  but  they  could 
not  touch  us.  Our  satisfaction  went  beyond  that  of 
the  mere  prospect  for  the  night,  for  we  felt  sure  of 
rest  after  labour,  and  of  being  able  to  maintain  our 
ground. 

The  next  day  we  made  a valuable  addition  to  our 
household.  Among  the  Indians  who  came  out  to 
work  was  a lad  who  spoke  Spanish.  He  was  the 
puniest,  lankest,  and  leanest  of  any  we  had  seen  on 
the  hacienda,  and  his  single  garment  was  the  dirti- 
est. His  name  was  Bernaldo.  He  was  but  fifteen, 
and  he  was  already  experiencing  the  vicissitudes  of 


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DESCRIPTION  OF  THE  RUINS.  165 

fortune.  His  education  had  been  neglected;  and 
for  confounding  some  technical  distinctions  in  the 
laws  of  property,  he  was  banished  from  a hacienda 
near  Merida  to  the  deserts  of  Uxmal.  We  were  in 
such  straits  for  want  of  an  interpreter,  and,  except 
during  the  short  visit  of  the  mayoral,  so  entirely  des- 
titute, that  we  overlooked  entirely  Bernaldo’s  moral 
weakness,  withdrew  him  from  the  workmen,  and  led 
him  to  the  sala  of  the  palace,  where,  in  the  course 
of  conveying  some  instructions  to  Chaipa  Chi,  he 
showed  such  an  interest  in  the  subject  that  Doctor 
Cabot  immediately  undertook  to  give  him  a lesson 
in  cookery.  In  his  first  essay  he  was  so  apt  that 
we  forthwith  inducted  him  as  ruler  over  the  three 
stones  that  composed  our  kitchen  fireplace,  with  all 
the  privileges  and  emoluments  of  sipping  and  tast- 
ing, and  left  Chaipa  Chi  to  bestow  all  her  energies 
upon  the  business  that  her  soul  loved,  the  making 
of  tortillas. 

Being  now  domesticated,  I shall  introduce  the 
reader  without  preface  to  the  ruins  of  Uxmal.  In 
the  account  of  my  former  visit  I endeavoured  to  give 
a brief  description  of  these  ruins.  Hurried  away, 
however,  without  plans  or  drawings,  it  was  impos- 
sible to  present  any  definite  idea  of  their  character. 
The  plate  opposite  represents  the  plan  of  this  an- 
cient city,  as  indicated  by  the  remaining  edifices. 
The  ranges  were  all  taken  with  the  compass,  and 
the  distances  measured,  and  the  dimensions  of  the 
buildings  and  then  distances  from  each  other  can  be 


166 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


ascertained  by  means  of  the  scale  at  the  foot  of  the 
plate. 

The  first  ruin  which  I shall  present  is  that  in 
which  we  lived,  called  the  Casa  del  Gobernador. 
The  engraving  which  forms  the  frontispiece  of  this 
volume  represents  its  front,  with  the  three  great  ter- 
races on  which  it  stands.  This  front  is  three  hun- 
dred and  twenty-two  feet  long.  Large  as  the  en- 
graving is,  it  can  serve  only  to  give  some  idea  of  the 
general  effect;  the  detail  of  ornament  cannot  be 
shown. 

The  edifice  is  represented  as  it  exists  now,  with- 
out any  attempt  at  restoration,  and  the  reader  will 
perceive  that  over  two  of  the  doorways  the  fa£ade 
has  fallen.  Don  Simon  Peon  told  us  that  in  the 
year  1825  this  fallen  part  was  still  in  its  place,  and 
the  whole  front  almost  entire.  The  fragments  now 
lie  as  they  fell,  forming,  as  appears  in  the  engraving, 
a great  mass  of  mortar,  rude  and  sculptured  stones, 
all  imbedded  together,  which  had  never  been  dis- 
turbed until  we  dug  into  it  for  the  purpose  of  disin- 
terring and  bringing  to  light  some  of  the  fallen  or- 
naments. 

This  building  was  constructed  entirely  of  stone. 
Up  to  the  cornice,  which  runs  round  it  the  whole 
length  and  on  all  four  of  its  sides,  the  facade  presents 
a smooth  surface ; above  is  one  solid  mass  of  rich, 
complicated,  and  elaborately  sculptured  ornaments, 
forming  a sort  of  arabesque. 

The  grandest  ornament,  which  imparts  a richness 


THE  CASA  DEL  GOBERNADOR.  167 

to  the  whole  fa5ade,  is  over  the  centre  doorway. 
Around  the  head  of  the  principal  figure  are  rows  of 
characters,  which,  in  our  first  hurried  visit,  we  did 
not  notice  as  essentially  different  from  the  other  in- 
comprehensible subjects  sculptured  on  the  fa£ade ; 
but  we  now  discovered  that  these  characters  were 
hieroglyphics.  We  had  ladders  made,  by  means  of 
which  Mr.  Catherwood  climbed  up  and  made  accu- 
rate drawings  of  them.  T hey  differ  somewhat  from 
the  hieroglyphics  before  presented,  and  are  more 
rich,  elaborate,  and  complicated,  but  the  general 
character  is  the  same.  From  their  conspicuous  po- 
sition, they  no  doubt  contain  some  important  mean- 
ing ; probably  they  were  intended  as  a record  of  the 
construction  of  the  building,  the  time  when  and  the 
people  by  whom  it  was  built. 

The  full  drawing  of  this  rich  and  curious  orna- 
ment  cannot  be  presented  with  any  effect  on  the 
scale  adapted  to  these  pages.  All  the  other  door- 
ways have  over  them  striking,  imposing,  and  even 
elegant  decorations,  varying  sometimes  in  the  de- 
tails, but  corresponding  in  general  character  and  ef- 
fect with  that  represented  in  the  accompanying  en- 
gravings. 

The  first  engraving  represents  the  part  immedi- 
ately over  the  doorway.  It  shows  the  remaining 
portion  of  a figure  seated  on  a kind  of  throne.  This 
throne  was  formerly  supported  by  a rich  ornament, 
still  forming  part  of  similar  designs  over  other  door- 
ways in  this  building.  The  head-dress  is  lofty,  and 


♦ 


168  INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


from  it  proceed  enormous  plumes  of  feathers,  divi- 
ding at  the  top,  and  falling  symmetrically  on  each 
side,  until  they  touch  the  ornament  on  which  the 
feet  of  the  statue  rest.  Each  figure  was  perhaps  the 
portrait  of  some  cacique,  warrior,  prophet,  or  priest, 
distinguished  in  the  history  of  this  unknown  people. 


THE  ELEPHANTS  TRUNK. 


171 


The  engraving  opposite  represents  that  part  of  the 
ornament  immediately  above  the  preceding;  it  occu- 
pies the  whole  portion  of  the  wall  from  the  top  of  the 
head-dress  to  the  cornice  along  the  top  of  the  build- 
ing. This  ornament  or  combination  appears  on  all 
parts  of  the  edifice,  and  throughout  the  ruins  is  more 
frequently  seen  than  any  other.  In  the  engraving 
the  centre  presents  a long,  flat,  smooth  surface. 
This  indicates  a projecting  ornament,  which  cannot 
be  exhibited  in  a front  view  ; but,  as  seen  in  profile, 
consists  of  a stone  projecting  from  the  face  of  the 
wall,  as  shown  in  the  following  cut ; and  the  reader 


must  suppose  this  stone  projecting  in  order  clearly  to 
understand  the  character  of  the  ornament  last  present- 
ed. It  measures  one  foot  seven  inches  in  length  from 
the  stem  by  which  it  is  fixed  in  the  wall  to  the  end  of 
the  curve,  and  resembles  somewhat  an  elephant’s 


172 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


trunk,  which  name  has,  perhaps  not  inaptly,  been  giv- 
en to  it  by  Waldeck,  though  it  is  not  probable  that  as 
such  the  sculptor  intended  it,  for  the  elephant  was 
unknown  on  the  Continent  of  America.  This  pro- 
jecting stone  appears  with  this  combination  all  over 
the  fa£ade  and  at  the  corners;  and  throughout  all 
the  buildings  it  is  met  with,  sometimes  in  a reversed 
position,  oftener  than  any  other  design  in  Uxmal. 
It  is  a singular  fact,  that  though  entirely  out  of 
reach,  the  ends  of  nearly  all  of  them  have  been 
broken  off ; and  among  the  many  remains  in  every 
part  of  the  walls  throughout  the  whole  ruins,  there  are 
but  three  that  now  exist  entire.  Perhaps  they  were 
wantonly  broken  by  the  Spaniards ; though  at  this  day 
the  Indians  believe  these  old  buildings  are  haunted, 
and  that  all  the  monefatos  or  ornaments  are  anima- 
ted, and  walk  at  night.  In  the  daytime,  it  is  be- 
lieved, they  can  do  no  harm,  and  for  ages  the  In- 
dians have  been  in  the  habit  of  breaking  and  dis- 
figuring them  with  the  machete,  believing  that  by  so 
doing  they  quiet  their  wandering  spirits. 

The  combination  of  the  last  two  engravings  is 
probably  intended  to  represent  a hideous  human 
face  ; the  eyes  and  teeth  appear  in  the  first,  and  the 
projecting  stone  is  perhaps  intended  for  the  nose  or 
snout.  It  occupies  a space  in  breadth  equal  to 
about  five  feet  of  the  wall.  To  present  the  whole 
facade  on  the  same  scale  would  require  an  engraving 
sixty-four  times  as  long  as  this.  The  reader  will 
perceive  how  utterly  unprofitable  it  would  be  to  at- 


CHARACTER  OF  THE  MASONRY.  173 

tempt  a verbal  description  of  such  a facade,  and  the 
lines  in  the  engraving  show  that,  as  I remarked  in 
my  former  account,  there  is  no  tablet  or  single  stone 
representing  separately  and  by  itself  an  entire  sub- 
ject, but  every  ornament  or  combination  is  made  up 
of  separate  stones,  each  of  which  had  carved  on  it 
part  of  the  subject,  and  was  then  set  in  its  place  in 
the  wall.  Each  stone  by  itself  is  an  unmeaning 
fractional  portion,  but,  placed  by  the  side  of  others, 
makes  part  of  a whole,  which  without  it  would  be 
incomplete.  Perhaps  it  may  with  propriety  be 
called  a species  of  sculptured  mosaic ; and  I have 
no  doubt  that  all  these  ornaments  have  a symbolical 
meaning ; that  each  stone  is  part  of  a history,  alle- 
gory, or  fable. 

The  rear  elevation  of  the  Casa  del  Gobernador  is 
a solid  wall,  without  any  doorways  or  openings  of 
any  kind.  Like  the  front,  above  the  cornice  it 
was  ornamented  throughout  its  whole  length  with 
sculptured  stone.  The  subjects,  however,  were  less 
complicated,  and  the  sculpture  less  gorgeous  and 
elaborate  ; and  on  this  side,  too,  a part  of  the  facade 
has  fallen. 

The  two  ends  are  thirty-nine  feet  each.  The 
following  engraving  represents  the  southern  end.  It 
has  but  one  doorway,  and  of  this,  too,  the  sculptured 
subjects  were  more  simple. 

The  roof  is  flat,  and  had  been  covered  with  ce- 
ment ; but  the  whole  is  now  overgrown  with  grass 
and  bushes. 


174 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL 


Such  is  the  exterior  of  the  Casa  del  Gobernador. 
To  go  into  any  description  of  details  would  extend 
these  pages  to  an  indefinite  length.  Its  distinguish- 
ing features  are,  that  it  was  long,  low,  and  narrow ; 
below  the  cornice  plain,  and  above  ornamented  with 
sculpture  all  around.  Mr.  Catherwood  made  mi- 
nute architectural  drawings  of  the  whole,  and  has  in 
his  possession  the  materials  for  erecting  a building 
exactly  like  it ; and  I would  remark  that,  as  on  our 
former  expedition,  he  made  all  his  drawings  with 
the  camera  lucida,  for  the  purpose  of  obtaining  the 


PLAN  OF  CASA  DEL  GOBERNADOR.  175 


utmost  accuracy  of  proportion  and  detail.  Besides 
which,  we  had  with  us  a Daguerreotype  apparatus, 
the  best  that  could  be  procured  in  New- York,  with 
which,  immediately  on  our  arrival  at  Uxmal,  Mr. 
Catherwood  began  taking  view's;  but  the  results 
w'ere  not  sufficiently  perfect  to  suit  his  ideas.  At 
times  the  projecting  cornices  and  ornaments  threw 
parts  of  the  subject  in  shade,  while  others  were  in 
broad  sunshine ; so  that,  while  parts  were  brought 
out  well,  other  parts  required  pencil  drawings  to 
supply  their  defects.  They  gave  a general  idea  of 
the  character  of  the  buildings,  but  would  not  do  to 
put  into  the  hands  of  the  engraver  without  copying 
the  views  on  paper,  and  introducing  the  defective 
parts,  which  would  require  more  labour  than  that  of 
making  at  once  complete  original  drawings.  He 
therefore  completed  everything  with  his  pencil  and 
camera  lucida,  while  Doctor  Cabot  and  myself  took 
up  the  Daguerreotype ; and,  in  order  to  ensure  the 
utmost  accuracy,  the  Daguerreotype  views  were 
placed  with  the  drawings  in  the  hands  of  the  en- 
gravers for  their  guidance. 

The  ground  plan  of  the  Casa  del  Gobernador  is 
represented  in  the  engraving  below\  It  has  eleven 


EO  40  fi(J  20  10  0 


doorways  in  front  and  one  at  each  end.  The  doors 
are  all  gone,  and  the  wooden  lintels  over  them  have 


176 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


fallen.  The  interior  is  divided  longitudinally  by  a 
wall  into  two  corridors,  and  these  again,  by  cross 
walls  or  partitions,  into  oblong  rooms.  Every  pair 
of  these  rooms,  the  front  and  back,  communicate  by 
a doorway  exactly  opposite  a corresponding  door- 
way in  front. 

The  principal  apartments  in  the  centre,  with  three 
doorways  opening  upon  the  terrace,  are  sixty  feet 
long.  The  one  in  front  is  eleven  feet  six  inches 
wide,  and  the  inner  one  thirteen  feet.  The  former 
is  twenty-three  feet  high  to  the  top  of  the  arch,  and 
the  other  twenty-two  feet.  The  latter  has  but  one 
door  of  entrance  from  the  front  room,  and  except 
this  it  has  no  door  or  aperture  of  any  kind,  so  that 
at  the  ends  it  is  dark  and  damp,  as  is  the  case  with 
all  the  inner  rooms.  In  these  two  apartments  we 
took  up  our  abode. 

The  walls  are  constructed  of  square,  smooth 
blocks  of  stone,  and  on  each  side  of  the  doorway 
are  the  remains  of  stone  rings  fixed  in  the  walls  with 
shafts,  which  no  doubt  had  some  connexion  with 
the  support  of  the  doors.  The  floors  were  of  ce- 
ment, in  some  places  hard,  but,  by  long  exposure, 
broken,  and  now  crumbling  under  the  feet. 

The  ceiling  forms  a triangular  arch,  as  at  Palen- 
que,  without  the  keystone.  The  support  is  made 
by  stones  overlapping,  and  bevilled  so  as  to  present 
a smooth  surface,  and  within  about  a foot  of  the 
point  of  contact  covered  by  a layer  of  flat  stones. 
Across  the  arch  were  beams  of  wood,  the  ends  built 
in  the  wall  on  each  side,  which  had  probably  been 


PRINTS  OF  A RED  HAND. 


177 


used  for  the  support  of  the  arch  while  the  building 
was  in  progress. 

For  the  rest,  I refer  to  the  plan,  mentioning  only 
one  circumstance.  In  working  out  the  plan  on  the 
spot,  it  wras  found  that  the  back  wall,  throughout 
its  whole  length  of  two  hundred  and  seventy  feet, 
was  nine  feet  thick,  which  was  nearly  equal  to  the 
width  of  the  front  apartment.  Such  thickness  was 
not  necessary  for  the  support  of  the  building,  and, 
supposing  it  might  contain  some  hidden  passages, 
we  determined  to  make  a breach  through  the  wall, 
and  to  do  this  in  the  centre  apartment. 

1 must  confess  that  I felt  some  repugnance  to  this 
work  of  demolition,  but  one  stone  had  already  been 
picked  out  by  an  Indian  to  serve  for  mashing  maize 
upon ; and  as  this  was  likely  to  be  done  at  any  time 
when  another  might  be  wanted,  I got  over  my  scru- 
ples. 

Over  the  cavity  left  in  the  mortar  by  the  removal 
of  the  stone  were  two  conspicuous  marks,  which 
afterward  stared  us  in  the  face  in  all  the  ruined  build- 
ings of  the  country.  They  were  the  prints  of  a 
red  hand  with  the  thumb  and  fingers  extended,  not 
drawn  or  painted,  but  stamped  by  the  living  hand, 
the  pressure  of  the  palm  upon  the  stone.  He  who 
made  it  had  stood  before  it  alive  as  wTe  did,  and 
pressed  his  hand,  moistened  with  red  paint,  hard 
against  the  stone.  The  seams  and  creases  of  the 
palm  were  clear  and  distinct  in  the  impression. 
There  was  something  lifelike  about  it  that  waked 


178 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


exciting  thoughts,  and  almost  presented  the  images 
of  the  departed  inhabitants  hovering  about  the  build- 
ing. And  there  was  one  striking  feature  about  these 
hands ; they  were  exceedingly  small.  Either  of  our 
own  spread  over  and  completely  hid  them  ; and  this 
was  interesting  from  the  fact  that  we  had  ourselves 
remarked,  and  heard  remarked  by  others,  the  small- 
ness of  the  hands  and  feet  as  a striking  feature  in 
the  physical  conformation  of  the  Indians  at  the  pres- 
ent day. 

The  stones  with  this  red  hand  upon  them  were 
the  first  that  fell  as  we  commenced  our  breach  into 
the  wall.  There  were  two  crowbars  on  the  haci- 
enda, and  working  nearly  two  days,  the  Indians 
made  a hole  between  six  and  seven  feet  deep,  but 
throughout  the  wall  was  solid,  and  consisted  of  large 
stones  imbedded  in  mortar,  almost  as  hard  as  rock. 
The  reason  of  this  immense  back  wall,  where  every- 
thing else  had  a certain  degree  of  fitness  and  con- 
formity, we  did  not  discover,  and  we  had  this  huge 
hole  staring  us  reproachfully  in  the  face  during  all 
the  remainder  of  our  residence. 

A few  words  more,  and  I have  done  with  this 
building.  In  the  south  end  apartment,  the  fa9ade 
of  which  has  been  presented,  we  found  the  sculp- 
tured beam  of  hieroglyphics  which  had  so  much  in- 
terested us  on  our  former  visit.  In  some  of  the  in- 
ner apartments  the  lintels  were  still  in  their  places 
over  the  doorways,  and  some  were  lying  on  the 
floor  sound  and  solid,  which  better  condition  was  no 


LOSS  OF  ANTIQUITIES  BY  FIRE.  179 

doubt  owing  to  their  being  more  sheltered  than  those  . 
over  the  outer  doorway.  This  was  the  only  sculp- 
tured beam  in  Uxmal,  and  at  that  time  it  was  the 
only  piece  of  carved  wood  we  had  seen.  We  con- 
sidered it  interesting,  as  indicating  a degree  of  pro- 
ficiency in  an  art  of  which,  in  all  our  previous  ex- 
plorations, we  had  not  discovered  any  evidence,  ex- 
cept, perhaps,  at  Ocosingo,  where  we  had  found  a 
beam,  not  carved,  but  which  had  evidently  been  re- 
duced to  shape  by  sharp  instruments  of  metal.  This 
time  I determined  not  to  let  the  precious  beam  es- 
cape me.  It  was  ten  feet  long,  one  foot  nine  inches 
broad,  and  ten  inches  thick,  of  Sapote  wood,  enor- 
mously heavy  and  unwieldy.  To  keep  the  sculp- 
tured side  from  being  chafed  and  broken,  I had  it 
covered  with  costal  or  hemp  bagging,  and  stuffed 
with  dry  grass  to  the  thickness  of  six  inches.  It 
left  Uxmal  on  the  shoulders  of  ten  Indians,  after 
many  vicissitudes  reached  this  city  uninjured,  and 
was  deposited  in  Mr.  Catherwood’s  Panorama.  I 
had  referred  to  it  as  being  in  the  National  Museum 
at  Washington,  whither  I intended  to  send  it  as 
soon  as  a collection  of  large  sculptured  stones,  which 
I was  obliged  to  leave  behind,  should  arrive  ; but  on 
the  burning  of  that  building,  in  the  general  confla- 
gration of  Jerusalem  and  Thebes,  this  part  of  Ux- 
mal was  consumed,  and  with  it  other  beams  after- 
ward discovered,  much  more  curious  and  interest- 
ing ; as  also  the  whole  collection  of  vases,  figures, 
idols,  and  other  relics  gathered  upon  this  journey. 

Vol.  I.— 0 


180 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


• The  collecting,  packing,  and  transporting  of  these 
things  had  given  me  more  trouble  and  annoyance 
than  any  other  circumstance  in  our  journey,  and 
their  loss  cannot  be  replaced  ; for,  being  first  on  the 
ground,  and  having  all  at  my  choice,  I of  course  se- 
lected only  those  objects  which  were  most  curious 
and  valuable ; and  if  I were  to  go  over  the  whole 
ground  again,  I could  not  find  others  equal  to  them. 
I had  the  melancholy  satisfaction  of  seeing  their 
ashes  exactly  as  the  fire  had  left  them.  We  seem- 
ed doomed  to  be  in  the  midst  of  ruins  ; but  in  all  our 
explorations  there  was  none  so  touching  as  this. 

Next  to  the  great  building  of  the  Casa  del  Gober- 
nador,  and  hardly  less  extraordinary  and  imposing 
in  character,  are  the  three  great  terraces  which  hold 
it  aloft,  and  give  it  its  grandeur  of  position ; all  of 
them  artificial,  and  built  up  from  the  level  of  the 
plain. 

The  lowest  of  these  terraces  is  three  feet  high, 
fifteen  feet  broad,  and  five  hundred  and  seventy-five 
feet  long ; the  second  is  twenty  feet  high,  two  hun- 
dred and  fifty  feet  wide,  and  five  hundred  and  forty- 
five  feet  in  length  ; and  the  third,  on  which  the  build- 
ing stands,  is  nineteen  feet  high,  thirty  feet  broad, 
and  three  hundred  and  sixty  feet  in  front.  They  wrere 
all  supported  by  substantial  stone  walls  ; that  of  the 
second  terrace  is  still  in  a good  state  of  preservation, 
and  at  the  corners  the  stones  which  support  it  are  still 
in  their  places,  with  their  outer  surfaces  rounded,  in- 
stead ot  presenting  sharp  angles. 


A SINGULAR  STONE. 


181 


The  platform  of  this  terrace  is  a noble  terra  plana, 
five  hundred  and  forty-five  feet  long  and  two  hun- 
dred and  fifty  feet  wide,  and,  from  the  remains  still 
visible  upon  it,  once  contained  structures  and  orna- 
ments of  various  kinds,  the  character  of  which  it  is 
now  difficult  to  make  out.  On  our  first  arrival  the 
whole  was  covered  with  a rank  growth  of  bushes 
and  weeds  ten  or  twelve  feet  high,  on  clearing  which 
away  these  remains  were  brought  to  light. 

Along  the  south  end  there  is  an  oblong  structure 
about  three  feet  high,  two  hundred  long,  and  fifteen 
feet  wide,  at  the  foot  of  which  there  is  a range  of 
pedestals  and  fragments  of  columns  about  five  feet 
high  and  eighteen  inches  in  diameter.  There  are 
no  remains  of  a roof  or  of  any  other  structure  con- 
nected with  them. 

Near  the  centre  of  the  platform,  at  a distance  of 
eighty  feet  from  the  foot  of  the  steps,  is  a square  en- 
closure, consisting  of  two  layers  of  stones,  in  which 
stands,  in  an  oblique  position,  as  if  falling,  or,  per- 
haps, as  if  an  effort  had  been  made  to  throw  it  down, 
a large  round  stone,  measuring  eight  feet  above  the 
ground  and  five  feet  in  diameter.  This  stone  is  stri- 
king for  its  uncouth  and  irregular  proportions,  and 
wants  conformity  with  the  regularity  and  symmetry 
of  all  around.  From  its  conspicuous  position,  it 
doubtless  had  some  important  use,  and,  in  connex- 
ion with  other  monuments  found  at  this  place,  in- 
duces the  belief  that  it  was  connected  with  the  cer- 
emonial rites  of  an  ancient  worship  known  to  have 

16 


182 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


existed  among  all  Eastern  nations.  The  Indians 
call  this  stone  the  Picote,  or  whipping-post. 

At  a distance  of  sixty  feet  in  a right  line  beyond 
this  was  a rude  circular  mound,  about  six  feet  high. 
We  had  used  it  as  a position  from  which  to  take  a 
Daguerreotype  view  of  the  front  of  the  building,  and, 
at  the  instance  of  the  Cura  Carillo,  who  came  to 
pay  us  a visit,  we  determined  to  open  it.  It  was  a 
mere  mass  of  earth  and  stones ; and,  on  digging  down 
to  the  depth  of  three  or  four  feet,  a sculptured  mon- 
ument was  discovered,  which  is  represented  in  the 
engraving  that  follows.  It  was  found  standing  on 
its  feet,  in  the  position  represented  in  the  engraving. 
It  is  carved  out  of  a single  block  of  stone,  and  meas- 
ures three  feet  two  inches  in  length  and  two  feet  in 
height.  It  seems  intended  to  represent  a double-head- 
ed cat  or  lynx,  and  is  entire  with  the  exception  of  one 
foot,  which  is  a little  broken.  The  sculpture  is  rude. 
It  was  too  heavy  to  carry  away.  We  had  it  raised  to 
the  side  of  the  mound  for  Mr.  Catherwood  to  draw, 
and  probably  it  remains  there  still.  The  picote , or 
great  stone,  before  referred  to,  appears  in  the  engra- 
ving in  the  distance. 

Why  this  monument  had  been  consigned  to  the 
strange  place  in  which  it  was  discovered  we  were 
at  a loss  to  conjecture.  This  could  never  have 
been  its  original  destination.  It  had  been  formally 
and  deliberately  buried.  In  my  opinion,  there  is 
but  one  way  of  accounting  for  it.  It  had  been  one 
of  the  many  idols  worshipped  by  the  people  of  Ux- 


A SCULPTURED  MONUMENT, 


183 


mal ; and  the  probability  is,  that  when  the  inhabi- 
tants abandoned  the  city  they  buried  it,  that  it  might 
not  be  desecrated ; or  else  the  Spaniards,  when  they 
drove  out  the  inhabitants  and  depopulated  the  city, 
in  order  to  destroy  all  the  reverential  feelings  of  the 


I 


184  INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 

Indians  toward  it,  followed  the  example  of  Cortez 
at  Cholula,  and  threw  down  and  buried  the  idols. 

At  a distance  of  130  feet  from  this  mound  was  a 
square  stone  structure,  six  feet  high  and  twenty  feet 
at  the  base,  in  which  we  made  an  excavation,  and 
discovered  two  sculptured  heads,  no  doubt  intended 
as  portraits. 

From  the  centre  of  this  great  platform  a grand 
staircase  130  feet  broad,  which  once  contained  35 
steps,  rises  to  the  third  terrace,  on  which  the  build- 
ing stands ; besides  this  there  is  no  staircase  con- 
nected with  either  of  the  three  terraces,  and  the 
only  ascent  to  the  platform  of  the  second  is  by  an 
inclined  plane  100  feet  broad,  at  the  south  end  of 
the  building,  which  makes  it  necessary  for  all  ap- 
proaching from  the  north  to  pass  the  whole  length 
of  the  lower  terrace,  and,  ascending  by  the  inclined 
plane,  go  back  to  reach  the  steps.  The  probability 
is,  that  the  labour  of  this  was  not  regarded  by  the 
ancient  inhabitants,  and  that  all  visiters  or  residents 
in  the  building  passed  in  and  out  on  the  shoulders 
of  Indians  in  coches,  as  the  rich  do  now. 

There  remains  to  be  noticed  one  important  build- 
ing on  the  grand  platform  of  the  second  terrace.  It 
stands  at  the  northwest  corner,  and  is  represented 
in  the  plate  opposite.  It  is  called  the  Casa  de  las 
Tortugas,  or  the  House  of  the  Turtles,  which  name 
was  given  to  it  by  a neighbouring  cura,  from  a bead 
or  row  of  turtles  which  goes  round  the  cornice,  in- 
dicated in  the  engraving. 


i vRxrn 


HOUSE  OF  THE  TURTLES. 


185 


This  building  is  94  feet  in  front  and  34  feet 
deep,  and  in  size  and  ornaments  contrasts  striking- 
ly with  the  Casa  del  Gobernador.  It  wants  the 
rich  and  gorgeous  decoration  of  the  former,  but  is 
distinguished  for  its  justness  and  beauty  of  propor- 
tions, and  its  chasteness  and  simplicity  of  ornament. 
Throughout  there  is  nothing  that  borders  on  the 
unintelligible  or  grotesque,  nothing  that  can  shock  a 
fastidious  architectural  taste ; but,  unhappily,  it  is 
fast  going  to  decay.  On  our  first  visit  Mr.  Cath- 
erwood  and  myself  climbed  to  the  roof,  and  se- 
lected it  as  a good  position  from  which  to  make  a 
panoramic  sketch  of  the  whole  field  of  ruins.  It 
was  then  trembling  and  tottering,  and  within  the 
year  the  whole  of  the  centre  part  had  fallen  in.  In 
front  the  centre  of  the  wall  is  gone,  and  in  the  rear 
the  wooden  lintel,  pressed  down  and  broken  in  two, 
still  supports  the  superincumbent  mass,  but  it  gave 
us  a nervous  feeling  to  pass  under  it.  The  interior 
is  filled  up  with  the  ruins  of  the  fallen  roof. 

This  building,  too,  has  the  same  peculiar  feature, 
want  of  convenient  access.  It  has  no  communica- 
tion, at  least  by  steps  or  any  visible  means,  with  the 
Casa  del  Gobernador,  nor  were  there  any  steps 
leading  to  the  terrace  below.  It  stands  isolated  and 
alone,  seeming  to  mourn  over  its  own  desolate  and 
ruinous  condition.  With  a few  more  returns  of  the 
rainy  season  it  will  be  a mass  of  ruins,  and  perhaps 
on  the  whole  continent  of  America  there  will  be  no 

Vol.  I.— A A 


\ 


186 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


such  monument  of  the  purity  and  simplicity  of  abo- 
riginal art. 

Such  is  a brief  description  of  the  Casa  del  Go- 
beruador,  with  its  three  great  terraces,  and  the  build- 
ings and  structures  upon  the  grand  platform  of  the 
second.  From  the  place  which  we  had  fixed  upon 
as  our  residence,  and  the  constant  necessity  of  as- 
cending and  descending  the  terraces,  it  was  with 
these  that  we  became  the  soonest  familiar.  The 
reader  will  be  able  to  form  some  idea  of  the  subjects 
that  engaged  our  attention,  and  the  strange  spectacle 
that  we  had  constantly  before  our  eyes. 


JOURNEY  TO  JALACHO. 


187 


CHAPTER  IX. 

Journey  to  Jalacho. — Execrable  Roads. — Sight  of  Ruins  at  Sen- 
uisacal. — A motley  Multitude. — Village  of  Becal. — The  Cura. 
— Breakfast. — Ruins. — Arrival  at  Jalacho. — A great  Fair. — 
F6te  of  Santiago. — Miracles. — Figure  of  St.  James. — Bull-fight 
and  Bull-fighters. — Horse-market.— Scenes  in  the  Plaza. — Gam- 
bling.— Primitive  Circulating  Medium. — A Memorial  of  Home. 
A Ball. — Search  for  Ruins. — Hacienda  of  Sijoh. — Mounds  of 
Ruins. — Remarkable  Stones. — A long  Edifice. — Hacienda  of 
Tankuche. — More  Ruins. — A plastered  Wall  covered  with 
Paintings. — Annoyance  from  Garrapatas. — Return  to  the  Vil- 
lage.— Ball. — Fireworks. — Condition  of  the  Indians. 

I 

1 Having  made  such  advances  in  the  clearing  that 
Mr.  Catherwood  had  abundance  of  occupation,  on 
Thursday,  the  18th  of  November,  I set  out,  under  the 
guidance  of  the  mayoral,  on  an  excursion  to  meet 
Don  Simon  Peon  at  the  fair  of  Jalacho,  and  visit 
some  ruins  on  another  hacienda  of  his  in  that  neigh- 
bourhood. We  started  at  half  past  six,  our  course 
being  west  by  north.  At  ten  minutes  past  seven  we 
crossed  a serrania,  or  range  of  hills,  about  a hundred 
and  fifty  feet  high,  and  came  down  upon  an  exten- 
sive savanna,  of  low,  flat  land,  a mere  cane-brake. 
The  road  was  the  worst  I had  found  in  the  country, 
being  simply  a wet  and  very  muddy  path  for  mules 
and  horses  to  the  fair.  My  horse  sunk  up  to  his 
saddle-girths,  and  it  was  with  great  exertion  that  he 
dragged  himself  through.  Every  moment  I had  fear 
of  his  rolling  over  in  the  mud,  and  in  some  places 
I was  strongly  reminded  of  the  inalas  pasos  in  Cen- 


188  INCIDENT.  S OF  TRAVEL. 

tral  America.  Occasionally  the  branches  were  bare- 
ly high  enough  to  allow  mules  to  pass,  and  then 
I was  obliged  to  dismount,  and  trudge  through  the 
mud  on  foot.  At  eight  o’clock  we  came  to  an  open 
savanna,  and  saw  a high  mound  with  ruins  on  the 
top,  bearing  south,  about  a mile  distant.  It  was  call- 
ed, as  the  mayoral  said,  Senuisacal.  I was  strongly 
tempted  to  turn  aside  and  examine  it,  but,  on  ac- 
count of  the  thickness  of  the  cane-brake  and  the 
mud,  it  would  have  been  impossible  to  reach  it,  and 
the  mayoral  said  that  it  was  entirely  in  ruins. 

In  half  an  hour  we  came  into  a clear  and  open 
country,  and  at  ten  we  entered  the  camino  real  for 
Jalacho,  a broad  and  open  road,  passable  for  cale- 
sas.  Up  to  this  time  we  had  not  seen  a single  hab- 
itation or  met  a human  being,  and  now  the  road 
was  literally  thronged  with  people  moving  on  to  the 
fair,  with  whose  clean  garments  my  mud-stained 
clothes  contrasted  very  unfavourably.  There  were 
Indians,  Mestizoes,  and  white  people  on  horseback, 
muleback,  and  on  foot,  men,  women,  and  children, 
many  carrying  on  their  backs  things  to  sell,  in  pe- 
taquillas,  or  long  baskets  of  straw ; whole  families, 
sometimes  half  a village  moving  in  company ; and  I 
fell  in  behind  a woman  perched  on  a loaded  horse, 
with  a child  in  her  arms,  and  a little  fellow  behind, 
his  legs  stretched  out  nearly  straight  to  span  the 
horse’s  flanks,  and  both  arms  clasping  her  substan- 
tial body  to  keep  himself  from  slipping  off.  We 
passed  parties  sitting  in  the  shade  to  rest  or  eat,  and 


ARRIVAL  AT  JALACHO. 


189 


families  lying  down  by  the  roadside  to  sleep,  with- 
out any  fear  of  molestation  from  the  rest. 

At  half  past  eleven  we  reached  the  village  of  Be- 
cal,  conspicuous,  like  all  the  others,  for  a large  pla- 
za and  church  with  two  towers.  In  the  suburbs  the 
mayoral  and  I interchanged  sentiments  about  break- 
fast, and,  after  making  a circle  in  the  plaza,  he  struck 
off  direct  for  the  house  of  the  cura.  I do  not  think 
the  cura  could  have  been  expecting  me,  but  if  so,  he 
could  not  have  provided  a better  breakfast,  or  at 
shorter  notice.  Besides  the  breakfast,  the  cura  told 
me  of  ruins  on  his  hacienda  which  he  had  never  vis- 
ited, but  which  he  promised  to  have  cleared  away, 
and  be  ready  to  show  me  on  my  return.  Circum- 
stances occurred  to  prevent  my  returning  by  the  same 
road,  but  the  cura,  having  had  the  ruins  cleared  away, 
visited  them  himself,  and  I aftenvard  heard  that  I had 
lost  something  by  not  seeing  them.  I took  leave  of 
him  with  the  buoyancy  of  old  times,  breakfast  se- 
cured, and  a prospect  of  another  mined  city. 

In  an  hour  I reached  Jalacho,  where  I met  Don 
Simon  and  two  of  his  brothers,  with  whom  I was 
not  yet  acquainted  ; Don  Lorenzo,  who  had  a ha- 
cienda in  that  neighbourhood,  and  Don  Alonzo,  then 
living  in  Campeachy,  who  was  educated  in  New- 
York,  and  spoke  English  remarkably  well. 

The  village  of  Jalacho  lies  on  the  main  road 
from  Merida  to  Campeachy,  and,  next  to  that  of 
Yzamal,  its  fair  is  the  greatest  in  Yucatan,  while  in 


190 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


some  respects  it  is  more  curious.  It  is  not  attended 
by  large  merchants  with  foreign  goods,  nor  by  the 
better  classes  from  Merida,  but  it  is  resorted  to  by 
all  the  Indians  from  the  haciendas  and  villages.  It 
is  inferior  in  one  respect : gambling  is  not  carried 
on  upon  so  large  a scale  as  at  Yzamal. 

The  time  was  when  all  countries  had  their  period- 
ical fairs ; but  the  changed  and  improved  condition 
of  the  world  has  almost  abolished  this  feature  of  an- 
cient times.  Increased  facilities  of  communication 
with  foreign  countries  and  different  parts  of  the 
same  country  make  opportunities  for  buying  and 
selling  an  every-day  thing ; and  at  this  day,  in  gen- 
eral throughout  Europe,  for  all  articles  of  necessity, 
and  even  of  luxury,  every  man  has,  as  it  were,  a fair 
every  day  at  his  own  door.  But  the  countries  in 
America  subject  to  the  Spanish  dominion  have  felt 
less  sensibly,  perhaps,  than  any  others  in  the  world, 
the  onward  impulse  of  the  last  two  centuries,  and 
in  them  many  usages  and  customs  derived  from  Eu- 
rope, but  there  long  since  fallen  into  oblivion,  are 
still  in  full  force.  Among  them  is  this  of  holding 
fairs,  of  which,  though  several  took  place  during  the 
time  of  my  journey  in  Central  America,  I had  no 
opportunity  of  seeing  any. 

The  fair  of  Jalacho  was  an  observance  of  eight 
days,  but  the  first  two  or  three  were  marked  only 
by  the  arrival  of  scattering  parties,  and  the  business 
of  securing  places  to  live  in  and  to  display  wares. 
The  great  gathering  or  high  change  did  not  begin 


A G|£AT  FAIR. 


191 


till  Thursday,  which  was  the  day  of  my  arrival,  and 
then  it  was  computed  that  there  were  assembled  in 
the  village  ten  thousand  persons. 

Of  all  this  crowd  the  plaza  was  the  grand  point 
of  concentration.  Along  the  houses  fronting  it  was 
a range  of  tables  set  out  with  looking-glasses  in 
frames  of  red  paper,  rings  and  necklaces,  cotton,  and 
toys  and  trinkets  for  the  Indians.  On  the  opposite 
side  of  the  street,  along  the  square  of  the  church, 
were  rustic  arbours,  occupied  by  venders  having 
similar  commodities  spread  before  them.  The  pla- 
za was  partitioned,  and  at  regular  intervals  was  a 
merchant,  whose  shop  was  a rude  stick  fixed  up- 
right in  the  ground,  and  having  another  crosswise  at 
the  top,  covered  with  leaves  and  twigs,  thus  forming 
a sort  of  umbrella,  to  protect  its  sitting  occupant 
from  the  sun.  These  were  the  merchants  of  dulces 
and  other  eatables.  This  part  of  the  fair  was  con- 
stantly crowded,  and  perhaps  nine  tenths  were  In- 
dians from  the  pueblos  and  haciendas  around.  Don 
Simon  Peon  told  me  that  he  had  entered  on  his 
books  a hundred  and  fifty  criados,  or  servants,  who 
had  applied  to  him  for  money,  and  he  did  not  know 
how  many  more  were  present. 

It  may  be  supposed  that  the  church  was  not  un- 
interested in  this  great  gathering.  In  fact,  it  was 
the  fete  of  Santiago,  and  among  the  Indians  this 
fiesta  was  identified  with  the  fair.  The  doors  of 
the  church  were  constantly  open,  the  interior  was 
thronged  with  Indians,  and  a crowd  continually 


192  INCIDENTS  TRAVEL. 

pressing  to  the  altar.  In  the  doorway  was  a large 
table  covered  with  candles  and  small  figures  of  arms 
and  legs  in  wax,  which  the  Indians  purchased  as 
they  entered  at  a medio  apiece,  for  offerings  to  the 
saint.  Near  the  altar,  on  the  left,  sat  an  unshaved 
ministro,  with  a table  before  him,  on  which  was  a 
silver  waiter,  covered  with  medios,  reales,  and  two 
shilling  pieces,  showing  to  the  backward  what  others 
had  done,  and  inviting  them  to  do  the  same.  The 
candles  purchased  at  the  door  had  been  duly  bless- 
ed, and  as  the  Indians  went  up  with  them,  a strap- 
ping negro,  with  linen  particularly  dirty,  received 
and  lighted  them  at  one  burning  on  the  altar,  whence 
with  his  black  hands  he  passed  them  on  to  a rusty 
white  assistant,  who  arranged  them  upon  a table, 
and,  even  before  the  backs  of  the  offerers  were  turn- 
ed, puffed  out  the  light,  and  took  the  candles  to  be 
smoothed  over,  and  resold  at  the  door  for  another 
medio  each. 

High  above  the  heads  of  the  crowd,  catching  the 
eye  on  first  entering  the  church,  was  the  figure  of 
Santiago,  or  Saint  James,  on  horseback,  holy  in  the 
eyes  of  all  who  saw  it,  and  famed  for  its  power  of 
working  miracles,  healing  the  sick,  curing  the  fever 
and  ague,  insuring  to  prospective  parents  a boy  or 
girl  as  desired,  bringing  back  a lost  cow  or  goat, 
healing  a cut  of  the  machete,  or  relieving  from  any 
other  calamity  incident  to  an  Indian’s  lot.  The 
fore  feet  of  the  horse  were  raised  in  the  air,  and  the 
saint  wore  a black  cocked  hat,  with  a broad  gold 


BULL-FIGHT  AND  BULL-FIGHTERS.  193 

band,  a short  mantle  of  scarlet  velvet,  having  a broad 
gold  edging  round  the  cape  and  skirts,  green  velvet 
trousers,  with  a wide  gold  stripe  down  the  sides, 
and  boots  and  spurs.  All  the  time  I stood  there, 
and  every  time  I went  into  the  church,  men,  wom- 
en, and  children  were  pressing  forward,  struggling 
with  each  other  to  kiss  the  foot  of  the  saint.  The 
simple  Indian,  as  the  first  act  of  devotion,  led  up 
his  whole  family  to  do  this  act  of  obeisance.  The 
mother  lifted  her  sucking  child,  and  pressed  its  lips, 
warm  from  her  breast,  against  the  foot  of  the  bedi- 
zened statue. 

In  the  afternoon  commenced  the  first  bull-fight. 
The  toreadores , or  bull-fighters,  all  lived  at  the  house 
opposite  ours,  and  from  it  the  procession  started. 
It  was  headed  by  a wrinkled,  squint-eyed,  bandy- 
legged Indian,  carrying  under  his  arm  the  old  In- 
dian drum,  and  dancing  grotesquely  to  his  own  mu- 
sic ; then  followed  the  band,  and  then  the  gallant 
pic.adores,  a cut-throat  looking  set  of  scoundrels, 
who,  imagining  themselves  the  admiration,  were  the 
contempt  of  the  crowd. 

The  Plaza  de  Toros  was  on  one  side  of  the 
square  of  the  plaza,  and,  like  that  in  the  square  of 
the  church  of  San  Cristoval,  was  constructed  of 
poles  and  vines,  upright,  intwiniiig  and  interlaced, 
tottering  and  yielding  under  pressure,  and  yet  hold- 
ing together  firmly.  In  the  centre  was  a pole,  on 
the  top  of  which  flourished  the  Mexican  eagle,  with 
outspread  wings,  holding  in  his  beak  a scroll  with 

Vol.  I. — B b 17 


194 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


the  appropriate  motto,  “ Viva  la  Republica  de  Yuca- 
tan,” and  strings  extended  like  radii  to  different 
parts  of  the  boxes,  wrapped  with  cut  and  scolloped 
papers  fluttering  in  the  wind.  On  one  side  of  the 
ring  was  a pole  with  a wooden  beam,  from  which 
hung,  by  strings  fastened  to  the  crown  of  an  old 
straw  hat,  two  figures  stuffed  with  straw,  with  gro- 
tesque masks  and  ludicrous  dresses.  One  was  very 
narrow  in  the  shoulders  and  very  broad  below,  and 
his  trousers  were  buttoned  behind. 

The  toros,  fallen  into  disrepute  in  the  capital,  is 
still  the  favourite  and  national  amusement  in  the 
pueblos.  The  animal  tied  to  the  post  when  wre  en- 
tered was  from  the  hacienda  of  the  senote,  which 
was  famed  for  the  ferocity  of  its  bulls.  The  pica- 
dores,  too,  were  fiercer  than  those  in  the  capital,  and 
the  contests  were  more  sanguinary  and  fatal.  Sev- 
eral times  the  bulls  were  struck  down,  and  tw-o, 
reeking  with  blood,  were  dragged  off  by  the  horns, 
dead ; and  this  wras  in  the  presence  of  women,  and 
greeted  with  their  smiles  and  approbation  : a dis- 
gusting and  degrading  spectacle,  but  as  yet  having 
too  strong  a hold  upon  popular  feeling  to  be  easily 
set  aside.  The  entertainment  was  got  up  at  the 
expense  of  the  village,  and  all  who  could  find  a 
place  had  liberty  to  enter. 

This  over,  there  was  an  interval  for  business,  and 
particularly  for  visiting  the  horse-market,  or  rather  a 
particular  section  to  which  dealers  sent  their  horses 
to  be  exhibited.  I was  more  interested  in  this  than 


HORSE-MARKET. SCENE  IN  THE  PLAZA.  195 

any  other  branch  of  commerce  carried  on  at  the  fair, 
as  I wished  to  purchase  horses  for  our  journey. 
There  were  plenty  of  them,  though,  as  in  all  other 
sections  of  the  country,  but  few  fine  ones.  Prices 
varied  from  ten  dollars  to  two  hundred,  the  value 
depending,  not  upon  bone,  blood,  or  muscle,  but  upon 
training  and  paces.  The  young  hacienda  horses, 
with  nothing  but  the  trot,  or  trotones,  as  they  were 
called,  were  worth  from  ten  dollars  to  twenty-five, 
but  as  they  excelled  in  pace  or  easiness  of  move- 
ment their  value  increased.  No  one  pretends  to 
ride  a trotting  horse  in  Yucatan,  for  he  who  does 
labours  under  the  imputation  of  not  being  able  to 
purchase  a pacer.  The  finest  horses  in  the  country 
in  appearance  are  those  imported ; but  the  Yucatan 
horses,  though  small,  are  remarkably  hardy,  require 
no  care,  and  endure  an  extraordinary  degree  of  fa- 
tigue. 

Night  came  on,  and  the  plaza  was  alive  with  peo- 
ple and  brilliant  with  lights.  On  one  side,  opposite 
the  church,  along  the  corridors  of  the  houses  and  in 
front  of  them,  were  rows  of  tables,  with  cards  and 
dice,  which  were  very  soon  crowded  with  players, 
whites  and  Mestizoes ; but  the  great  scene  of  at- 
traction was  the  gathering  of  Indians  in  the  centre  of 
the  plaza.  It  was  the  hour  of  supper,  and  the  small 
merchants  had  abundant  custom  for  their  eatables. 
Turkeys  which  had  stood  tied  by  one  leg  all  day, 
inviting  people  to  come  and  eat  them,  were  now 
ready,  of  which  for  a medio  two  men  had  a liberal 


196 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


allowance  ; and  I remarked,  what  I had  heard  of,  but 
had  not  seen  before,  that  grains  of  cacao  circulated 
among  the  Indians  as  money.  Every  merchant  or 
vender  of  eatables,  the  most  of  whom  were  women, 
had  on  the  table  a pile  of  these  grains,  which  they 
were  constantly  counting  and  exchanging  with  the 
Indians.  There  is  no  copper  money  in  Yucatan, 
nor  any  coin  whatever  under  a medio,  or  six  and  a 
quarter  cents,  and  this  deficiency  is  supplied  by  these 
grains  of  cacao.  The  medio  is  divided  into  twenty 
parts,  generally  of  five  grains  each,  but  the  number 
is  increased  or  decreased  according  to  the  quantity 
of  the  article  in  the  market,  and  its  real  value.  As 
the  earnings  of  the  Indians  are  small,  and  the  arti- 
cles they  purchase  are  the  mere  necessaries  of  life, 
which  are  very  cheap,  these  grains  of  cacao,  or  frac- 
tional parts  of  a medio,  are  the  coin  in  most  common 
use  among  them.  The  currency  has  always  a real 
value,  and  is  regulated  by  the  quantity  of  cacao  in 
the  market,  and  the  only  inconvenience,  economi- 
cally speaking,  that  it  has,  is  the  loss  of  a certain 
public  wealth  by  the  destruction  of  the  cacao,  as  in 
the  case  of  bank  notes.  But  these  grains  had  an 
interest  independent  of  all  questions  of  political 
economy,  for  they  indicate  or  illustrate  a page  in 
the  history  of  this  unknown  and  mysterious  people. 
When  the  Spaniards  first  made  their  way  into  the 
interior  of  Yucatan,  they  found  no  circulating  me- 
dium, either  of  gold,  or  silver,  or  any  other  species 
of  metal,  but  only  grains  of  cacao  ; and  it  seemed  a 


A MEMORIAL  OF  HOME. 


197 


strange  circumstance,  that  while  the  manners  and 
customs  of  the  Indians  have  undergone  an  immense 
change,  while  their  cities  have  been  destroyed,  their 
religion  dishonoured,  their  princes  swept  away,  and 
their  whole  government  modified  by  foreign  laws, 
no  experiment  has  yet  been  made  upon  their  cur- 
rency. 

In  the  midst  of  this  strange  scene,  there  was  a 
stir  at  one  end  of  the  plaza,  and  an  object  presented 
itself  that  at  once  turned  my  thoughts  and  feelings 
homeward.  It  was  a post-coach,  from  a Troy  fac- 
tory, exactly  like  those  seen  on  every  road  in  our 
country,  but  it  had  on  the  panel  of  the  door  “ La 
Diligencia  Campechana.”  It  was  one  of  the  line 
of  diligences  between  Campeachy  and  Merida,  and 
just  arrived  from  the  former  place.  It  came  up  on 
a run,  drawn  by  wild,  uncombed  horses,  not  yet 
broken  to  the  bit,  and  with  their  breasts  galled  and 
raw  from  the  pressure  of  the  collar.  It  had  nine 
inside,  and  had  an  aspect  so  familiar  that,  as  the 
door  opened,  I expected  to  see  acquaintances  get 
out;  but  all  spoke  a foreign  tongue,  and  instead  of 
being  welcomed  to  supper  or  bed  by  an  officious 
landlord  and  waiter,  all  inquired  anxiously  where 
they  could  get  something  to  eat  and  a place  to 
sleep  in. 

Leaving  them  to  do  as  well  as  they  could,  we 
went  to  the  baile  or  ball.  In  front  of  the  quartel 
was  a rustic  arbour,  enclosed  by  a temporary  rail- 
ing, with  benches  and  chairs  arranged  around  the 


198 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


sides,  and  the  centre  cleared  for  dancing.  Until  I 
saw  them  collected  together,  I did  not  suppose  that 
so  many  white  persons  were  present  at  the  fair,  and, 
like  the  men  at  the  gambling-table,  and  the  Indians 
in  the  plaza,  these  seemed  to  forget  that  there  was 
any  other  party  present  than  themselves.  In  this 
obliviousness  I sympathized,  and  slipping  into  an 
easy  arm-chair,  from  the  time  of  my  drag  through 
the  mud  in  the  morning  I had  not  so  quiet  and  com- 
fortable a moment,  in  which  condition  I remained 
until  awakened  by  Don  Simon. 

The  next  day  was  a repetition  of  the  same 
scenes.  In  the  afternoon,  at  the  bull-fight,  I fell  into 
conversation  with  a gentleman  who  sat  next  to  me, 
and  who  gave  me  information  of  some  antiquities  in 
Maxcanu,  a village  four  leagues  distant.  That  I 
might  take  this  place  on  my  return  to  Uxmal,  it  was 
advisable  to  visit  the  ruins  on  Don  Simon’s  hacienda 
the  next  day.  Don  Simon  could  not  go  with  me 
until  after  the  fair,  and  amid  the  great  concourse  of 
Indians  it  was  difficult  to  find  one  who  could  serve 
as  a guide. 

It  w&s  not  till  eleven  o’clock  the  next  day  that  I 
was  able  to  set  out,  and  I had  as  a guide  a major 
domo  of  another  hacienda,  who,  being,  as  I imagin- 
ed, vexed  at  being  obliged  to  leave  the  fiesta,  and 
determined  to  get  me  off  his  hands  as  soon  as  pos- 
sible, set  out  at  a swinging  trot.  The  sun  was 
scorching,  the  road  broad,  straight,  and  stony,  and 
without  a particle  of  shade,  but  in  forty  minutes, 


MOUNDS  OF  RUINS. 


199 


both  considerably  heated,  we  reached  the  hacienda 
of  Sijoh,  two  leagues  distant. 

This  hacienda  belonged  to  a brother  of  Don  Si- 
mon, then  resident  in  Vera  Cruz,  and  was  under  the 
latter's  charge.  Here  my  guide  passed  me  over  into 
the  hands  of  an  Indian,  and  rode  back  as  fast  as  he 
could  to  the  fair.  The  Indian  mounted  another 
horse,  and,  continuing  a short  distance  on  the  same 
road  through  the  lands  of  the  hacienda,  we  turned 
off  to  the  right,  and  in  five  minutes  saw  in  the 
woods  to  our  left,  near  the  road,  a high  mound  of 
ruins  of  that  distinctive  character  once  so  strange, 
but  now  so  familiar  to  me,  proclaiming  the  exist- 
ence of  another  unknown,  nameless,  desolate,  and 
ruined  city. 

We  continued  on  to  another  mound  nearer  than 
the  first,  where  we  dismounted  and  tied  our  horses 
to  the  bushes.  This  mound  was  a solid  mass  of 
masonry,  about  thirty  feet  high,  and  nearly  square. 
The  stones  were  large,  one  at  the  corner  measuring 
six  feet  in  length  by  three  in  width,  and  the  sides 
were  covered  with  thorns  and  briers.  On  the  south 
side  was  a range  of  steps  still  in  good  condition, 
each  fifteen  inches  high,  and  in  general  three  feet 
long.  On  the  other  sides  the  stones  mse  in  a py- 
ramidal form,  but  without  steps.  On  tne  top  was  a 
stone  building,  with  its  wall  as  high  as  the  cornice 
standing.  Above  this  the  facade  had  fallen,  but  the 
mass  of  stone  and  mortar  which  formed  the  roof  re- 
mained, and  within  the  apartment  was  precisely 


200 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


like  the  interior  of  the  buildings  at  Uxmal,  having 
the  same  distinctive  arch.  There  were  no  remains 
of  sculpture,  but  the  base  of  the  mound  was  encum- 
bered with  fallen  stones,  among  which  were  some 
about  three  feet  long,  dug  out  so  as  to  form  a sort  of 
trough,  the  same  as  we  had  seen  at  Uxmal,  where 
they  were  called  pilas  or  fountains. 

Leaving  this,  we  returned  through  the  woods  to 
the  mound  we  had  first  seen.  This  was  perhaps 
sixty  feet  high,  and  was  a mere  mass  of  fallen  stone. 
Whatever  it  might  have  been,  its  features  were  en- 
tirely lost,  and  but  for  the  structure  I had  just  seen, 
and  the  waste  of  ruins  in  other  parts  of  the  country, 
it  might  have  seemed  doubtful  whether  it  had  ever 
been  formed  according  to  any  plan  or  rules  of  art. 
The  mass  of  stone  was  so  solid  that  no  vegetation 
could  take  root  upon  it;  its  sides  were  bare  and 
bleached,  and  the  pieces,  on  being  disturbed,  slid 
down  with  a metallic  sound  like  the  ringing  of  iron. 
In  climbing  up  I received  a blow  from  a sliding  stone, 
which  nearly  carried  me  back  to  the  bottom,  for  the 
moment  completely  disabled  me,  and  from  which  I 
did  not  entirely  recover  until  some  time  afterward. 

From  the  top  of  this  mound  I saw  two  others  of 
nearly  the  |jme  height,  and,  taking  their  direction 
with  the  compass,  I descended  and  directed  my  steps 
toward  them.  The  whole  ground  was  covered  with 
trees  and  a thick  undergrowth  of  brush  and  thorn- 
bushes.  My  Indian  had  gone  to  lead  the  horses 
round  to  another  road.  I had  no  machete,  and 


REMARKABLE  STONES. 


201 


though  the  mounds  were  not  far  distant,  I was  ex- 
cessively scratched  and  torn  in  getting  to  them. 
They  were  all  ruined,  so  that  they  barely  preserved 
their  form.  Passing  between  these,  I saw  beyond 
three  others,  forming  three  angles  of  a patio  or  square ; 
and  in  this  patio,  rising  above  the  thorn-bushes  and 
briers,  were  huge  stones,  which,  on  being  first  dis- 
covered, suddenly  and  unexpectedly,  actually  start- 
led me.  At  a distance  they  reminded  me  of  the 
monuments  of  Copan,  but  they  were  even  more  ex- 
traordinary and  incomprehensible.  They  were  un- 
couth in  shape,  and  rough  as  they  came  from  the 
quarry.  Four  of  them  were  flat;  the  largest  was 
fourteen  feet  high,  and  measured  toward  the  top  four 
feet  in  width,  and  one  and  a half  in  thickness.  The 
top  was  broader  than  the  bottom,  and  it.  stood  in  a 
leaning  posture,  as  if  its  foundation  had  been  loosen- 
ed. The  others  were  still  more  irregular  in  shape, 
and  it  seemed  as  if  the  people  who  erected  them  had 
just  looked  out  for  the  largest  stones  they  could  lay 
their  hands  on,  tall  or  short,  thick  or  thin,  square  or 
round,  without  regard  to  anything  except  bulk. 
They  had  no  beauty  or  fitness  of  design  or  propor- 
tion, and  there  were  no  characters  upon  them.  But 
in  that  desolation  and  solitude  they  were  strange  and 
striking,  and,  like  unlettered  headstones  in  a church- 
yard, seemed  to  mark  the  graves  of  unknown  dead. 

On  one  of  the  mounds,  looking  down  upon  this 
patio,  was  a long  building,  with  its  front  wall  fallen, 
and  leaving  the  whole  interior  exposed  to  view.  I 
Vol.  I.— C c 


202 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


climbed  up  to  it,  but  saw  only  the  remains  of  the 
same  narrow  corridor  and  arch,  and  on  the  wall 
were  prints  of  the  red  hand.  The  whole  country 
was  so  overgrown  that  it  was  impossible  to  form  any 
idea  of  what  its  extent  had  been,  but  one  thing  was 
certain,  a large  city  had  once  stood  here,  and  what 
its  name  was  no  man  knew. 

At  this  time  my  visit  was  merely  intended  as  pre- 
liminary, for  the  purpose  of  judging  whether  there 
were  any  subjects  for  Mr.  Catherwood’s  pencil,  and  it 
was  now  about  one  o’clock.  The  heat  was  intense, 
and  sweating  and  covered  with  briers  and  burrs, 
which  stuck  to  every  part  of  my  clothes,  I came  out 
into  the  open  road,  where  my  Indian  was  waiting 
for  me  with  the  horses.  W e mounted  immediately, 
and  continued  on  a gallop  to  the  hacienda  of  Tan- 
kuche,  two  leagues  distant. 

This  hacienda  was  a favourite  with  Don  Simon, 
as  he  had  created  it  out  of  the  wilderness,  and  the 
entire  road  from  the  village  he  had  made  himself. 
It  was  a good  logwood  country,  and  here  he  had 
erected  machinery  for  extracting  the  dye.  In  gen- 
eral, it  was  the  most  busy  place  of  all  his  haciendas, 
but  this  day  it  seemed  as  if  a desolating  scourge  had 
swept  over  it.  The  huts  of  the  Indians  were  clos- 
ed and  locked  up;  no  barebodied  children  were  play- 
ing around  them,  and  the  large  gate  was  locked. 
We  tied  our  horses  by  one  of  the  panels,  and,  as- 
cending by  a flight  of  stone  steps,  entered  the  lane 
and  walked  up  to  the  house.  Every  door  was  lock- 


A DESERTED  HACIENDA. 


203 


ed,  and  not  a person  in  sight.  Moving  on  to  the 
high  stone  structure  forming  the  platform  of  the  well, 
I saw  a little  boy,  dressed  in  a straw  hat,  dozing  on 
an  old  horse,  which  was  creeping  round  with  the 
well-beam,  drawing  in  broken  buckets  a slow  stream 
of  water,  for  which  no  one  came.  At  sight  of  me 
he  rose  from  the  neck  of  his  horse,  and  tried  to  stop 
him,  but  the  old  animal  seemed  so  used  to  going 
round  that  he  could  not  stop,  and  the  little  fellow 
looked  as  if  he  expected  to  be  going  till  some  one 
came  to  take  him  off.  All  had  gone  to  the  fiesta, 
and  were  now  swelling  the  great  crowd  I had  left 
in  the  village.  It  wTas  an  immense  change  from  the 
thronged  fair  to  the  solitude  of  this  desolate  hacien- 
da. I sat  down  under  a large  seybo  tree  overshad- 
owing the  well,  and  ate  a roll  of  bread  and  an  or- 
ange, after  which  I strolled  back  to  the  gate,  and,  to 
my  surprise,  found  only  one  horse.  My  guide  had 
mounted  his  and  returned  to  his  hacienda.  I walk- 
ed into  the  factory,  returned  to  the  well,  and  at- 
tempted speech  with  the  boy,  but  the  old  horse 
started  forward  and  carried  him  away  from  me  ; I 
lay  down  on  the  platform  of  the  well;  the  creaking 
of  the  beam  served  as  a sort  of  lullaby,  and  I had 
made  such  progress  that  I was  not  very  eager  to  be 
interrupted,  when  an  Indian  lad  arrived,  who  had 
been  hunted  up  by  my  missing  guide,  and  directed 
to  show  me  the  ruins.  This  fact,  however,  he 
would  not  have  been  able  to  communicate,  but,  for- 
tunately, he  was  accompanied  by  an  Indian  who 


204 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


spoke  Spanish.  The  latter  was  an  intelligent,  mid- 
dle-aged man,  of  highly  respectable  appearance,  but 
Don  Simon  told  me  he  was  the  worst  fellow  on  the 
hacienda.  He  was  desperately  in  love  with  a girl 
who  did  not  live  on  the  estate,  and  he  was  in  the 
habit  of  running  away  to  visit  her,  and  of  being 
brought  back  with  his  arms  tied  behind  him ; as  a 
punishment  for  a late  offence  of  this  kind,  he  had 
been  prohibited  from  going  to  the  fiesta.  Through 
him  I had  an  understanding  with  my  new  guide, 
and  set  out  again. 

In  five  minutes  after  leaving  the  hacienda,  we 
passed  between  two  mounds  of  ruins,  and,  from  time 
to  time  having  glimpses  of  other  vestiges  in  the 
woods,  in  twenty  minutes  we  came  to  a mound 
about  thirty  feet  high,  on  the  top  of  which  was  a 
ruined  building.  Here  we  dismounted,  tied  our 
horses,  and  ascended  the  mound.  The  whole  of 
the  front  wall  had  fallen,  together  with  the  front 
half  of  the  arch ; the  interior  chamber  was  filled 
with  dirt  and  rubbish  nearly  up  to  the  cornice,  and 
the  arch  of  the  back  wall  was  the  only  part  above 
ground ; but  this,  instead  of  being  of  smooth  stones, 
like  all  the  others  we  had  seen  in  Yucatan,  was 
plastered  and  covered  with  paintings,  the  colours  of 
which  were  still  bright  and  fresh.  The  principal 
colours  were  red,  green,  yellow,  and  blue,  and  at 
first  the  lines  and  figures  seemed  so  distinct,  that  I 
thought  I could  make  out  the  subjects.  The  apart- 
ment being  filled  up  with  dirt,  I stood  above  the 


ANNOYANCE  FROM  GARRAPATAS.  205 

objects,  and  it  was  only  by  sitting,  or  rather  lying 
down,  that  I could  examine  them.  One  subject  at 
first  sight  struck  me  as  being  a representation  of  the 
mask  found  at  Palenque.  I was  extremely  desirous 
to  get  this  off  entire,  but  found,  by  experiments  upon 
other  parts  of  the  plaster  with  the  machete,  that  it 
would  be  impossible  to  do  so,  and  left  it  untouched. 

In  the  interest  of  the  work,  I did  not  discover  that 
thousands  of  garrapatas  were  crawling  over  me. 
These  insects  are  the  scourge  of  Yucatan,  and  al- 
together they  were  a more  constant  source  of  an- 
noyance and  suffering  than  any  we  encountered  in 
the  country.  I had  seen  something  of  them  in  Cen- 
tral America,  but  at  a different  season,  when  the 
hot  sun  had  killed  off  the  immensity  of  their  num- 
bers, and  those  left  had  attained  such  a size  that  a 
single  one  could  easily  be  seen  and  picked  off. 
These,  in  colour,  size,  and  numbers,  were  like  grains 
of  sand.  They  disperse  themselves  all  over  the 
body,  get  into  the  seams  of  the  clothes,  and,  like  the 
insect  known  among  us  as  the  tick,  bury  themselves 
in  the  flesh,  causing  an  irritation  that  is  almost  in- 
tolerable. The  only  way  to  get  rid  of  them  effectu- 
ally is  by  changing  all  the  clothes.  In  Uxmal  we 
had  not  been  troubled  with  them,  for  they  are  said 
to  breed  only  in  those  wroods  where  cattle  pasture, 
and  the  grounds  about  Uxmal  had  been  used  as  a 
milpa,  or  plantation  of  corn.  It  was  the  first  time 
I had  ever  had  them  upon  me  in  such  profusion, 
and  their  presence  disturbed  most  materially  the 

18 


206 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


equanimity  with  which  I examined  the  paintings. 
In  fact,  I did  not  remain  long  on  the  ground. 

It  is  particularly  unfortunate  that,  while  so  many 
apartments  have  remained  free,  this  most  curious 
and  interesting  one  has  become  filled  up.  It  is 
probable  that  the  walls,  as  well  as  the  arch,  are  plas- 
tered and  painted.  It  would  have  cost  a week’s  la- 
bour to  clear  it  out,  and  my  impression  was,  that,  in 
consequence  of  the  dirt  having  been  piled  up  against 
the  walls  for  an  unknown  length  of  time,  through  a 
long  succession  of  rainy  seasons,  the  colours  were 
so  completely  effaced  that  nothing  would  have  been 
discovered  to  compensate  for  the  labour. 

It  was  now  nearly  dark.  My  day’s  work  had 
been  a severe  one.  I was  tired  and  covered  with 
garrapatas,  but  the  next  day  was  Sunday,  the  last 
of  the  fiesta,  and  I determined  on  returning  to  the 
village  that  night.  There  was  a brilliant  moonlight, 
and,  hurrying  on,  at  eleven  o’clock  I saw,  at  the  end 
of  a long  straight  road,  the  illuminated  front  of  the 
church  of  Jalacho.  Very  soon,  amid  the  shining 
lights  and  congregated  thousands,  I forgot  desola- 
tions and  ruins,  and  my  sympathies  once  more  mov- 
ed with  the  living.  I passed  by  the  tables  of  the 
gamblers,  worked  my  way  through  the  plaza  and 
through  a crowd  of  Indians,  who  fell  back  in  defer- 
ence to  the  colour  of  my  skin,  and,  unexpectedly  to 
my  friends,  presented  myself  at  the  bade.  This  time 
I had  no  disposition  to  sleep.  For  the  last  night  of 
the  fiesta  the  neighbouring  villages  had  sent  forth 


CONDITION  OF  THE  INDIANS. 


207 


their  all ; the  ball  was  larger  and  gayer  of  whites  and 
those  in  whose  veins  white  blood  ran,  while  outside, 
leaning  upon  the  railing,  looking  in,  but  not  presu- 
ming to  enter,  were  close  files  of  Indians,  and  beyond, 
in  the  plaza,  was  a dense  mass  of  them — natives  of 
the  land  and  lords  of  the  soil,  that  strange  people  in 
whose  ruined  cities  I had  just  been  wandering,  sub- 
mitting quietly  to  the  dominion  of  strangers,  bound 
down  and  trained  to  the  most  abject  submission,  and 
looking  up  to  the  white  man  as  a superior  being. 
Could  these  be  the  descendants  of  that  fierce  people 
who  had  made  such  bloody  resistance  to  the  Span- 
ish conquerors  ? 

At  eleven  o’clock  the  ball  broke  up,  and  fireworks 
were  let  off  from  the  balustrade  of  the  church. 
These  ended  with  the  national  piece  of  El  Castillo, 
and  at  twelve  o’clock,  when  we  went  away,  the 
plaza  was  as  full  of  Indians  as  at  midday.  At  no 
time  since  my  arrival  in  the  country  had  I been  so 
struck  with  the  peculiar  constitution  of  things  in 
Yucatan.  Originally  portioned  out  as  slaves,  the 
Indians  remain  as  servants.  Veneration  for  mas- 
ters is  the  first  lesson  they  learn,  and  these  masters, 
the  descendants  of  the  terrible  conquerors,  in  cen- 
turies of  uninterrupted  peace  have  lost  all  the  fierce- 
ness of  their  ancestors.  Gentle,  and  averse  to  la- 
bour themselves,  they  impose  no  heavy  burdens  upon 
the  Indians,  but  understand  and  humour  their  ways, 
and  the  two  races  move  on  harmoniously  together, 
with  nothing  to  apprehend  from  each  other,  form- 


208 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


ing  a simple,  primitive,  and  almost  patriarchal  state 
of  society  ; and  so  strong  is  the  sense  of  personal  se- 
curity, that,  notwithstanding  the  crowds  of  stran- 
gers, and  although  every  day  Don  Simon  had  sat 
with  doors  open  and  piles  of  money  on  the  table, 
so  little  apprehension  was  there  of  robbery,  that  we 
slept  without  a door  or  window  locked. 


A GRAND  PROCESSION. 


209 


CHAPTER  X. 


Sunday. — Mass. — A grand  Procession. — Intoxicated  Indians. — Set 
out  for  Maxcanu. — A Caricoche. — Scenery. — Arrival  at  Maxca- 
nu.— Cave  of  Maxcanu. — Threading  a Labyrinth. — An  Alarm. — 
An  abrupt  Termination. — Important  Discovery. — Labyrinth  not 
subterraneous.  — More  Mounds.  — Journey  continued. — Grand 
View. — Another  Mound.- — An  Accident. — Village  of  Opoche- 
que. — View  from  the  Sierra. — More  Ruins. — Return  to  Uxmal. 
— Change  of  Quarters. — An  Addition  to  the  Household. — Beau- 
tiful Scene. 

The  next  day  was  Sunday.  The  church  w^as 
thronged  for  grand  mass  ; candles  were  burned,  and 
offerings  were  made  to  the  amount  of  many  medios, 
and  at  nine  o’clock  the  bells  tolled  for  the  proces- 
sion, the  crowning  scene  of  the  fiesta.  The  church 
was  emptied  of  its  votaries,  and  the  plaza  was  alive 
with  people  hurrying  to  take  a place  in  the  proces- 
sion, or  to  see  it  pass.  I climbed  up  into  the  Plaza 
de  Toros,  and  had  a whole  box  to  myself. 

The  space  along  the  side  of  the  bull-ring  was 
thronged ; and  first  came  a long  procession  of  In- 
dians with  lighted  candles ; then  the  ministro  with 
the  large  silver  salver,  and  money  upon  it,  present- 
ing it  on  either  side  to  receive  additional  offerings. 
As  it  passed,  a woman  walked  up  and  put  upon  it 
two  reales,  probably  her  all.  Then  came,  borne  on 
a barnnv  above  the  heads  of  the  crowd,  the  figure 

Vol.  I.— D D 


210  INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 

which  had  attracted  so  much  veneration  in  the 
church,  Santiago  on  horseback,  with  his  scarlet  and 
embroidered  mantle  and  green  velvet  pantaloons 
bordered  with  gold.  This  was  followed  by  the 
cura,  a fat,  yellow-looking  half-breed,  with  his  two 
dirty-faced  assistants.  Directly  under  me  the  pro- 
cession stopped,  and  the  priests,  turning  toward  the 
figure  of  the  saint,  set  up  a chant.  This  over,  the 
figure  moved  on,  and  stopping  from  time  to  time, 
continued  to  work  its  way  around  the  church,  until 
finally  it  was  restored  to  its  place  on  the  altar.  So 
ended  the  fair  of  Jalacho  and  the  fete 'of  Santiago, 
the  second  which  I had  seen  since  my  arrival  in  the 
country,  and  both  exhibiting  the  powerful  influence 
of  the  ceremonials  of  the  church  over  the  minds  of 
the  Indians.  Throughout  the  state,  this  class  of  the 
inhabitants  pays  annually  a tax  of  twelve  reales  per 
head  for  the  support  of  the  cura ; and  it  was  said 
on  the  ground  that  the  Indians  at  this  fiesta  had 
paid  eight  hundred  dollars  for  salves,  five  hundred 
for  aves,  and  six  hundred  for  masses,  which,  if  true, 
was  an  enormous  sum  out  of  their  small  earnings. 

But  the  fiesta  was  over,  and  almost  immediately  the 
crowd  was  in  motion,  preparing  to  set  out  for  home. 
At  three  o’clock  every  street  was  lined  with  people, 
some  less  and  others  more  heavily  laden  than  they 
came,  and  some  carrying  home  the  respectable  head 
of  a family  in  a state  of  brutal  intoxication ; and 
here  I particularly  remarked,  what  I had  frequently 
observed  before,  that  among  all  the  intoxication  of 


A CARICOCHE. 


211 


the  Indians,  it  was  a rare  thing  to  see  a woman  in 
that  state ; it  was  really  an  interesting  spectacle  to 
see  these  poor  women,  with  their  children  around 
them,  supporting  and  conducting  homeward  their  in- 
toxicated husbands. 

At  four  o’clock  I set  off  with  Don  Lorenzo  Peon, 
a brother  of  Don  Simon,  for  Maxcanu.  Our  mode 
of  conveyance,  much  used  in  Yucatan,  but  new  to 
me,  was  called  a caricoche.  It  was  a long  wagon, 
on  two  large  wheels,  covered  with  cotton  cloth  as  a 
protection  against  the  sun,  and  on  the  bottom  was 
stretched  a broad  mattress,  on  which  two  persons 
could  recline  at  full  length.  If  they  would  sit  up,  it 
was  large  enough  for  three  or  four.  It  was  drawn 
by  one  horse,  with  a driver  riding  as  postillion,  and 
another  horse  followed  to  change.  The  road  was 
broad,  even,  and  level.  It  was  the  camino  real  be- 
tween Merida  and  Campeachy,  and  would  pass  in 
any  country  for  a fair  carriage-road.  All  along  we 
passed  parties  of  Indians  returning  from  the  fair.  In 
an  hour  we  came  in  sight  of  the  sierra  which  trav- 
erses at  that  point  the  whole  peninsula  of  Yucatan 
from  east  to  west.  The  sight  of  hills  was  cheering, 
and  with  the  reflection  of  the  setting  sun  upon  them, 
they  presented  almost  the  first  fine  scenery  I had 
encountered  in  the  country.  In  an  hour  and  ten 
minutes  we  reached  Maxcanu,  twelve  miles  distant, 
being  by  far  the  greatest  speed  at  which  I ever  trav- 
elled in  Yucatan. 

The  hacienda  of  Don  Lorenzo  was  in  this  neigh- 


212 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


bourhood,  and  he  had  a large  house  in  the  village, 
at  which  we  stopped.  My  object  in  coming  to  this 
place  was  to  visit  La  Cueva  de  Maxcanu,  or  the 
Cave  of  Maxcanii.  In  the  evening,  when  notice 
was  given  of  my  intention,  half  the  village  was  ready 
to  join  me,  but  in  the  morning  my  volunteers  were 
not  forthcoming,  and  I was  reduced  to  the  men 
procured  for  me  by  Don  Lorenzo.  From  the  time 
consumed  in  getting  the  men  together  and  procuring 
torches,  cord,  & c.,  I did  not  get  off  till  after  nine 
o’clock.  Our  direction  was  due  east  till  we  reached 
the  sierra,  ascending  which  through  a passage  over- 
grown with  woods,  at  eleven  o’clock  we  arrived  at 
the  mouth,  or  rather  door,  of  the  cueva,  about  a 
league  distant  from  the  village. 

I had  before  heard  so  much  of  caves,  and  had 
been  so  often  disappointed,  that  I did  not  expect 
much  from  this  ; but  the  first  view  satisfied  me  in 
regard  to  the  main  point,  viz.,  that  it  was  not  a nat- 
ural cave,  and  that,  as  had  been  represented  to  me, 
it  was  hecha  a mano,  or  made  by  hand. 

La  Cueva  de  Maxcanu,  or  the  Cave  of  Maxcanu, 
has  in  that  region  a marvellous  and  mystical  repu- 
tation. It  is  called  by  the  Indians  Satun  Sat,  which 
means  in  Spanish  El  Laberinto  or  El  Perdedero,  the 
Labyrinth,  or  place  in  which  one  may  be  lost.  Not- 
withstanding its  wonderful  reputation,  and  a name 
which  alone,  in  any  other  country,  would  induce  a 
thorough  exploration,  it  is  a singular  fact,  and  ex- 
hibits more  strikingly  than  anything  I can  mention 


A LABYRINTH. 


213 


the  indifference  of  the  people  of  all  classes  to  the  an- 
tiquities of  the  country,  that  up  to  the  time  of  my 
arrival  at  the  door,  this  Laberinto  had  never  been 
examined.  My  friend  Don  Lorenzo  Peon  would 
give  me  every  facility  for  exploring  it  except  joining 
me  himself.  Several  persons  had  penetrated  to  some 
distance  with  a string  held  outside,  but  had  turned 
back,  and  the  universal  belief  was,  that  it  contained 
passages  without  number  and  without  end. 

Under  these  circumstances,  I certainly  felt  some 
degree  of  excitement  as  I stood  in  the  doorway. 
The  very  name  called  up  those  stupendous  works 
in  Crete  and  on  the  shores  of  the  Moeritic  Lake 
which  are  now  almost  discredited  as  fabulous. 

My  retinue  consisted  of  eight  men,  who  consid- 
ered themselves  in  my  employ,  besides  three  or  four 
supernumeraries,  and  all  together  formed  a crowd 
around  the  door.  Except  the  mayoral  of  Uxmal,  I 
had  never  seen  one  of  them  before,  and  as  I consid- 
ered it  important  to  have  a reliable  man  outside,  1 
stationed  him  at  the  door  with  a ball  of  twine.  I 
tied  one  end  round  my  left  wrist,  and  told  one  of 
the  men  to  light  a torch  and  follow  me,  but  he  re- 
fused absolutely,  and  all  the  rest,  one  after  the  oth- 
er, did  the  same.  They  were  all  ready  enough  to 
hold  the  string;  and  I was  curious  to  know,  and 
had  a conference  with  them  on  the  interesting  point, 
whether  they  expected  any  pay  for  their  services  in 
standing  out  of  doors.  One  expected  pay  for  show- 
ing me  the  place,  others  for  carrying  water,  another 


214 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


for  taking  care  of  the  horses,  and  so  on,  but  I ter- 
minated the  matter  abruptly  by  declaring  that  I 
should  not  pay  one  of  them  a medio  ; and,  ordering 
them  all  away  from  the  door,  which  they  were 
smothering,  and  a little  infected  with  one  of  their 
apprehensions  of  starting  some  wild  beast,  which 
might  be  making  his  lair  in  the  recesses  of  the  cave, 
I entered  with  a candle  in  one  hand  and  a pistol  in 
the  other. 

The  entrance  faces  the  west.  The  mouth  was 
filled  up  with  rubbish,  scrambling  over  which,  I stood 
in  a narrow  passage  or  gallery,  constructed,  like  all 
the  apartments  above  ground,  with  smooth  walls  and 
triangular  arched  ceiling.  This  passage  was  about 
four  feet  wide,  and  seven  feet  high  to  the  top  of  the 
arch.  It  ran  duo  east,  and  at  the  distance  of  six  or 
eight  yards  opened  into  another,  or  rather  was  stop- 
ped by  another  crossing  it,  and  running  north  and 
south.  I took  first  that  on  the  right  hand,  running 
south.  At  the  distance  of  a few  yards,  on  the  right 
side  of  the  wall,  I found  a door,  filled  up,  and  at  the 
distance  of  thirty-five  feet  the  passage  ended,  and  a 
door  opened  at  right  angles  on  the  left  into  another 
gallery  running  due  east.  Following  this,  at  the 
distance  of  thirteen  feet  I found  another  gallery  on 
the  left,  running  north,  and  beyond  it,  at  the  end,  still 
another,  also  on  the  left,  and  running  north,  four 
yards  long,  and  then  walled  up,  with  only  an  open- 
ing in  it  about  a foot  square. 

Turning  back,  I entered  the  gallery  which  I had 


THREADING  A LABYRINTH. 


215 


passed,  and  which  ran  north  eight  or  ten  yards ; at 
the  end  w^as  a doorway  on  the  right,  opening  into  a 
gallery  that  ran  east.  At  the  end  of  this  were  six 
steps,  each  one  foot  high  and  two  wide,  leading  to 
another  gallery,  which  ran  north  twelve  yards.  At 
the  end  there  came  another  gallery  on  the  left,  w hich 
ran  west  ten  yards,  and  at  the  end  of  this  another 
on  the  right,  running  north  about  sixty  feet.  This 
passage  was  walled  up  at  the  north  end,  and  at  the 
distance  of  five  yards  from  this  end  another  door- 
way led  into  a passage  running  to  the  east.  At  the 
distance  of  four  yards  a gallery  crossed  this  at  right 
angles,  running  north  and  south,  forty-five  feet  long, 
and  walled  up  at  both  ends ; and  three  or  four  yards 
farther  on  another  gallery  crossed  it,  also  miming 
north  and  south.  This  last  was  walled  up  at  the 
south,  and  on  the  north  led  to  still  another  gallery, 
wThich  ran  east,  three  yards  long.  This  was  stop- 
ped by  another  gallery  crossing  it,  running  to  the 
south  three  yards,  when  it  was  walled  up,  and  to 
the  north  eight  yards,  when  it  turned  to  the  west. 

In  utter  ignorance  of  the  ground,  I found  myself 
turning  and  doubling  along  these  dark  and  narrow 
passages,  which  seemed  really  to  have  no  end,  and 
justly  to  entitle  the  place  to  its  name  of  El  Labe- 
rinto. 

I wras  not  entirely  free  from  the  apprehension  of 
starting  some  wild  animal,  and  moved  slowly  and 
very  cautiously.  In  the  mean  time,  in  turning  the 
corners,  my  twine  would  be  entangled,  and  the  In- 


216 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


dians,  moved  by  the  probability  of  getting  no  pay, 
entered  to  clear  it,  and  by  degrees  all  came  up  with 
me  in  a body.  I got  a glimpse  of  their  torches  be- 
hiud  me  just  as  I was  turning  into  a new  passage, 
and  at  the  moment  I was  startled  by  a noise  which 
sent  me  back  rather  quickly,  and  completely  rout- 
ed them.  It  proceeded  from  a rushing  of  bats, 
and,  having  a sort  of  horror  of  these  beastly  birds, 
this  was  an  ugly  place  to  meet  them  in,  for  the  pas- 
sage was  so  low,  and  there  was  so  little  room  for 
a flight  over  head,  that  in  walking  upright  there 
was  great  danger  of  their  striking  the  face.  It  was 
necessary  to  move  with  the  head  bent  down,  and 
protecting  the  lights  from  the  flapping  of  their 
wings.  Nevertheless,  every  step  was  exciting,  and 
called  up  recollections  of  the  Pyramids  and  tombs  of 
Egypt,  and  I could  not  but  believe  that  these  dark 
and  intricate  passages  would  introduce  me  to  some 
large  saloon,  or  perhaps  some  royal  sepulchre.  Belzo- 
ni,  and  the  tomb  of  Cephrenes  and  its  alabaster  sar- 
cophagus, were  floating  through  my  brain,  when  all  at 
once  I found  the  passage  choked  up  and  effectually 
stopped.  The  ceiling  had  fallen  in,  crushed  by  a 
great  mass  of  superincumbent  earth,  and  farther 
progress  was  utterly  impossible. 

I was  not  prepared  for  this  abrupt  termination. 
The  walls  and  ceiling  were  so  solid  and  in  such 
good  condition  that  the  possibility  of  such  a result 
had  not  occurred  to  me.  I was  sure  of  going  on  to 
the  end  and  discovering  something,  and  I was  ar- 


AN  ABRUPT  TERMINATION. 


217 


rested  without  knowing  any  better  than  when  I en- 
tered to  what  point  these  passages  led,  or  for  wdiat 
purposes  they  had  been  constructed.  My  first  im- 
pulse was,  not  to  turn  back,  but  to  begin  immedi- 
ately and  dig  a way  through  ; but  the  impossibility 
of  accomplishing  anything  in  this  way  soon  pre- 
sented itself.  For  the  Indians  to  carry  out  the  earth 
on  their  backs  through  all  these  passages  would  be 
a never-ending  work ; besides,  I had  no  idea  how 
far  the  destruction  extended,  and,  for  the  present  at 
least,  nothing  could  be  done. 

In  a spirit  of  utter  disappointment,  I pointed  out 
to  the  Indians  the  mass  of  earth  that,  as  it  were, 
maliciously  cut  off  all  my  hopes,  and  told  them  to 
put  an  end  to  their  lying  stories  about  the  Laberinto 
and  its  having  no  end  ; and  in  my  disappointment  I 
began  to  feel  most  sensibly  the  excessive  heat  and 
closeness  of  the  place,  which  I had  hardly  perceived 
before,  and  which  now  became  almost  insufferable 
from  the  smoke  of  the  torches  and  the  Indians  cho- 
king the  narrowr  passage. 

All  that  I could  do,  and  that  was  very  unsatisfac- 
tory, was  to  find  out  the  plan  of  this  subterraneous 
structure.  I had  with  me  a pocket  compass,  and, 
notwithstanding  the  heat  and  smoke,  and  the  little 
help  that  the  Indians  afforded  me,  under  all  annoy- 
ances, and  with  the  sweat  dropping  on  my  memo- 
randum book,  I measured  back  to  the  door. 

I remained  outside  a few  moments  for  fresh  air, 
and  entered  again  to  explore  the  passage  which 

Vol.  I. — E e 19 


218 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


branched  off  to  the  left  of  the  door.  I had  just  gone 
far  enough  to  have  my  hopes  revived  by  the  pros- 
pect of  some  satisfactory  result,  when  again  I found 
the  passage  choked  up  by  the  falling  in  and  burial 
of  the  arch. 

I measured  and  took  the  bearings  of  this  too. 
From  the  excessive  heat  and  annoyance,  this  plan 
may  not  be  very  correct,  and  therefore  I do  not  pre- 
sent it.  The  description  will  enable  the  reader  to 
form  some  general  idea  of  the  character  of  the  struc- 
ture. 

In  exploring  that  part  to  the  left  of  the  door,  I 
made  an  important  discovery.  In  the  walls  of  one 
of  the  passages  was  a hole  eight  inches  square,  which 
admitted  light,  and  looking  through  it,  I saw  some 
plump  and  dusky  legs,  which  clearly  did  not  belong 
to  the  antiguos,  and  which  I easily  recognised  as 
those  of  my  worthy  attendants. 

Having  heard  the  place  spoken  of  as  a subterra- 
neous construction,  and  seeing,  when  I reached  the 
ground,  a half-buried  door  with  a mass  of  overgrown 
earth  above  it,  it  had  not  occurred  to  me  to  think 
otherwise  ; but  on  examining  outside,  I found  that 
what  I had  taken  for  an  irregular  natural  formation, 
like  a hill-side,  was  a pyramidal  mound  of  the  same 
general  character  with  all  the  rest  we  had  seen  in 
the  country.  Making  the  Indians  clear  away  some 
thorn-bushes,  with  the  help  of  the  branches  of  a 
tree  growing  near  I climbed  up  it.  On  the  top  were 
the  ruins  of  a building,  the  same  as  all  the  others. 


A FIT  OF  ENTHUSIASM. 


219 


The  door  of  El  Laberinto,  instead  of  opening  into 
a liill-side,  opened  into  this  mound,  and,  as  near  as  I 
could  judge  from  the  ruins  along  the  base,  was  ten 
feet  high,  and  the  Laberinto,  instead  of  being  sub- 
terraneous, or,  rather,  under  the  surface  of  the  earth 
was  in  the  body  of  this  mound.  Heretofore  it  had 
been  our  impression  that  these  mounds  were  solid 
and  compact  masses  of  stone  and  earth,  without  any 
chambers  or  structures  of  any  kind,  and  the  discov- 
ery of  this  gave  rise  to  the  exciting  idea  that  all  the 
great  mounds  scattered  over  the  country  contained 
secret,  unknown,  and  hidden  chambers,  presenting 
an  immense  field  for  exploration  and  discovery,  and, 
ruined  as  the  buildings  on  their  summits  were,  per- 
haps the  only  source  left  for  accpiiring  knowledge  of 
the  people  by  whom  the  cities  were  constructed. 

I was  really  at  a loss  to  know  what  to  do.  I 
was  almost  tempted  to  abandon  everything  else,  send 
word  to  my  companions,  and  not  leave  the  spot  till 
I had  pulled  down  the  whole  mound,  and  discover- 
ed every  secret  it  contained  ; but  it  was  not  a work 
to  be  undertaken  in  a hurry,  and  I determined  to 
leave  it  for  a future  occasion.  Unfortunately,  in 
the  multiplicity  of  other  occupations  in  distant  re- 
gions of  the  country,  I never  had  an  opportunity  of 
returning  to  this  mound.  It  remains  with  all  its 
mystery  around  it,  worthy  the  enterprise  of  some  fu- 
ture explorer,  and  I cannot  but  indulge  the  hope  that 
the  time  is  not  far  distant  when  its  mystery  will  be 
removed  and  all  that  is  hidden  brought  to  light. 


220 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


In  the  account  which  I had  received  of  this  Laby- 
rinth,  no  mention  had  been  made  of  any  mins,  and 
probably,  when  on  the  ground,  I should  have  heard 
nothing  of  them,  but  from  the  top  of  this  mound  I 
saw  two  others,  both  of  which,  with  a good  deal  of 
labour,  I reached  under  the  guidance  of  the  Indians, 
crossing  a patch  of  beans  and  milpa.  I ascended  them 
both.  On  the  top  of  one  was  a building  eighty  or 
a hundred  feet  long.  The  front  wall  had  fallen,  and 
left  exposed  the  inner  part  of  the  back  wall,  with 
half  the  arch,  as  it  were,  supporting  itself  in  the  air. 
The  Indians  then  led  me  to  a fourth  mound,  and 
told  me  that  there  were  others  in  the  woods,  but  all 
in  the  same  ruinous  condition ; and,  considering 
the  excessive  heat  and  the  desperate  toil  of  clam- 
bering, I did  not  think  it  worth  while  to  visit  them. 
I saw  no  sculptured  stones,  except  those  I have 
before  mentioned,  dug  out  like  troughs,  and  called 
pitas,  though  the  Indians  persisted  in  saying  that 
there  were  such  all  over,  but  they  did  not  know  ex- 
actly where  to  find  them. 

At  three  o’clock  I resumed  my  journey  toward 
Uxmal.  For  a short  distance  the  road  lay  along  the 
ridge  of  the  sierra,  a mere  bed  of  rock,  on  which  the 
horse’s  hoofs  clattered  and  rang  at  every  step.  Com- 
ing out  upon  the  brow  of  the  sierra,  we  had  one  of 
those  grand  views  which  everywhere  present  them- 
selves from  this  mountain  range  ; an  immense  wood- 
ed plain,  in  this  place  broken  only  by  a small  spot 
like  a square  on  a chess-board,  the  clearing  of  the 


ANOTHER  MOUND. 


221 


hacienda  of  Santa  Cruz.  We  descended  the  sierra, 
and  at  the  foot  of  it  struck  the  camino  real. 

About  an  hour  before  dark,  and  a league  before 
reaching  the  village  of  Opocheque,  I saw  on  the 
left,  near  the  road,  a high  mound,  with  an  edifice  on 
its  top,  which  at  that  distance,  as  seen  through  the 
trees,  seemed  almost  entire.  It  stood  in  a corn-field. 
I was  not  looking  out  for  anything  of  the  kind,  and 
but  for  the  clearing  made  for  the  milpa,  I could  not 
have  seen  it  at  all.  I threw  the  bridle  of  my  horse 
to  the  major  domo,  and  made  for  it,  but  it  was  not 
very  easy  of  access.  The  field,  according  to  the 
fashion  of  the  country,  was  enclosed  by  a fence, 
which  consisted  of  all  the  brush  and  briers  collected 
on  the  clearing,  six  or  eight  feet  high  and  as  many 
wide,  affording  a sufficient  barrier  against  wild  cattle. 
In  attempting  to  cross  this,  I broke  through,  sinking 
almost  to  my  neck  in  the  middle,  and  was  consid- 
erably torn  by  thorns  before  I got  over  into  the 
milpa. 

The  mound  stood  on  one  side  of  the  milpa,  iso- 
lated, aud  of  the  building  upon  it,  the  lower  part,  to 
the  cornice,  was  standing.  Above  the  cornice  the 
outer  wall  had  fallen,  but  the  roof  remained,  and 
within  all  was  entire.  There  wTas  no  view  from 
the  top ; beyond  the  milpa  all  was  forest,  and  what 
lay  buried  in  it  I had  no  means  of  ascertaining. 
The  place  was  silent  and  desolate ; there  was  no 
one  of  whom  I could  ask  any  questions.  I never 
heard  of  these  ruins  till  I saw  them  from  the  back 


222 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


of  my  horse,  and  I could  never  learn  by  what  name 
they  are  called. 

At  half  past  six  we  reached  the  village  of  Opoche- 
que.  In  the  centre  of  the  plaza  was  a large  fount- 
ain, at  which  women  were  drawing  water,  and  on 
one  side  was  a Mestizo  family,  with  two  men  play- 
ing the  guitar.  We  stopped  for  a cup  of  water,  and 
then,  pushing  on  by  a bright  moonlight,  at  nine 
o’clock  reached  the  village  of  Moona,  which  the 
reader  of  my  former  volumes  may  remember  was 
the  first  stage  of  our  journey  on  leaving  Uxmal  for 
home. 

Early  the  next  morning  we  resumed  our  course. 
Immediately  behind  the  village  we  crossed  the  sier- 
ra, the  same  broken  and  stony  range,  commanding 
on  both  sides  the  same  grand  view  of  a boundless 
wooded  plain.  In  an  hour  we  saw  at  a distance  on 
our  left  the  high  mound  of  ruins  visible  from  the 
House  of  the  Dwarf,  known  under  the  Indian  name 
of  Xcoch.  About  five  miles  before  arriving  at  Ux- 
mal, I saw  on  the  right  another  high  mound.  The 
intervening  space  was  covered  with  trees  and  thorn- 
bushes,  but  I reached  it  without  dismounting.  On 
the  top  were  two  buildings  about  eighteen  feet  each, 
with  the  upper  part  of  the  outer  w7alls  fallen.  Of 
both,  the  inner  part  was  entire. 

At  twTelve  o’clock  I reached  Uxmal.  The  extent 
of  my  journey  had  been  thirteen  leagues,  or  thirty- 
nine  miles  ; for  though  I had  varied  my  route  in  re- 
turning, I had  not  increased  the  distance,  and  I had 


RETURN  TO  UXMAL. 


223 


seen  seven  different  places  of  ruins,  memorials  of 
cities  which  had  been  and  had  passed  away,  and 
such  memorials  as  no  cities  built  by  the  Spaniards 
in  that  country  would  present. 

The  ruins  of  Uxmal  presented  themselves  to  me 
as  a home,  and  I looked  upon  them  with  more  in- 
terest than  before.  I had  found  the  wrecks  of  cities 
scattered  more  numerously  than  I expected,  but  they 
were  all  so  shattered  that  no  voice  of  instruction 
issued  from  them ; here  they  still  stood,  tottering 
and  crumbling,  but  living  memorials,  more  worthy 
than  ever  of  investigation  and  study,  and  as  I then 
thought,  not  knowing  what  others  more  distant,  of 
which  we  had  heard,  might  prove,  perhaps  the  only 
existing  vestiges  that  could  transmit  to  posterity  the 
image  of  an  American  city. 

As  I approached,  I saw  on  the  terrace  our  beds, 
with  moscheto-nets  fluttering  in  the  wind,  and 
trunks  and  boxes  all  turned  out  of  doors,  having 
very  much  the  appearance  of  a forcible  ejectment 
or  ouster  for  non-payment  of  rent ; but  on  arriving 
I found  that  my  companions  were  moving . In  the 
great  sala,  with  its  three  doors,  they  had  found  them- 
selves too  much  exposed  to  the  heavy  dews  and 
night  air,  and  they  were  about  removing  to  a small- 
er apartment,  being  that  next  to  the  last  on  the  south 
wing,  which  had  but  one  door,  and  could  more  ea- 
sily be  kept  dry  by  a fire.  They  were  then  engaged 
in  cleaning  house,  and  at  the  moment  of  my  arrival 
I was  called  in  to  consult  whether  the  rooms  should 


224 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


undergo  another  sweeping.  After  some  deliberation, 
it  was  decided  in  the  affirmative,  and  about  two 
bushels  more  of  dirt  were  carried  out,  which  dis- 
couraged us  from  carrying  the  process  of  cleaning 
any  farther. 

During  my  absence  an  addition  had  been  made 
to  our  household  in  a servant  forwarded  from  Mer- 
ida by  the  active  kindness  of  the  Dona  Joaquina 
Peon.  He  was  a dark  Mestizo  named  Albino, 
short  and  thick,  and  so  near  being  squint-eyed  that 
at  the  first  glance  I thought  him  a subject  for  Doc- 
tor Cabot  to  practise  on.  Bernaldo  was  still  on 
hand,  as  also  Chaipa  Chi,  the  former  under  the  doc- 
tor’s instructions,  as  chef  de  cuisine,  and  Chaipa 
still  devoting  all  her  energies  to  the  business  in 
which  she  shone,  the  making  of  tortillas. 

In  the  afternoon  we  were  comfortably  settled  in 
our  new  quarters.  We  continued  the  precaution 
of  kindling  a fire  in  one  corner,  to  drive  away  ma- 
laria, and  at  night  we  had  a bonfire  out  of  doors. 
The  grass  and  bushes  which  had  been  cut  down  on 
the  terrace,  parched  and  dried  by  the  hot  sun,  were 
ready  for  the  fire ; the  flames  lighted  up  the  facade 
of  the  great  palace,  and  when  they  died  away,  the 
full  moon  broke  upon  it,  mellowing  its  rents  and 
fissures,  and  presenting  a scene  mournfully  beau- 
tiful. 


THE  STORM  EL  NORTE. 


225 


CHAPTER  XI. 

Superintending  Indians. — The  Storm  El  Norte. — Arrival  of  Don 
Simon. — Subterraneous  Chambers. — Discovery  of  broken  Pot- 
tery and  a Terra  Cotta  Vase. — Great  Number  of  these  Cham- 
bers.— Their  probable  Uses. — Harvest  of  the  Maize  Crop. — 
Practical  Views. — System  of  Agriculture  in  Yucatan. — Planting 
of  Corn. — A primitive  Threshing  Machine. — News  from  Home. 
— More  Practice  in  Surgery. — A rude  Bedstead. — A Leg  Pa- 
tient.— An  Arm  Patient. — Increasing  Sickness  on  the  Hacien- 
da.— Death  of  an  Indian  Woman. — A Campo  Santo. — Digging 
a Grave. — An  Indian  Funeral. 

The  next  day  I resumed  my  occupation  of  super- 
intending the  Indians.  It  was,  perhaps,  the  hardest 
labour  I had  in  that  country  to  look  on  and  see 
them  work,  and  it  was  necessary  to  be  with  them 
all  the  time ; for  if  not  watched,  they  would  not 
work  at  all. 

The  next  day  opened  with  a drizzling  rain,  the 
beginning  of  the  prevailing  storm  of  the  country, 
called  El  Norte.  This  storm,  we  were  told,  rarely 
occurred  at  this  season,  and  the  mayoral  said  that 
after  it  was  over,  the  regular  dry  season  would  cer- 
tainly set  in.  The  thermometer  fell  to  fifty-two, 
and  to  our  feelings  the  change  was  much  for  the 
better.  In  fact,  we  had  begun  to  feel  a degree  of 
lassitude,  the  effect  of  the  excessive  heat,  and  this 
change  restored  and  reinvigorated  us. 

This  day,  too,  with  the  beginning  of  the  storm, 

Vol.  I.— F F 


226 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


Don  Simon  arrived  from  Jalaclio,  according  to 
promise,  to  pay  us  a visit.  He  was  not  in  tlie  habit 
of  visiting  Uxmal  at  this  season,  and  though  less 
fearful  than  other  members  of  his  family,  he  was 
not  without  apprehensions  on  account  of  the  health 
of  the  place.  In  fact,  he  had  suffered  much  himself 
from  an  illness  contracted  there.  At  the  hacienda 
he  found  the  mayoral,  who  had  just  returned  with 
me  from  Jalaclio,  ill  with  calentura  or  fever.  This, 
with  the  cold  and  rain  of  the  Norther,  did  not  tend 
to  restore  his  equanimity.  We  insisted  on  his  be- 
coming our  guest,  but  agreed  to  let  him  off  at  night 
on  account  of  the  moschetoes.  His  visit  was  a for- 
tunate circumstance  for  us;  his  knowledge  of  local- 
ities, and  his  disposition  to  forward  our  views,  gave 
us  great  facilities  in  our  exploration  of  the  ruins,  and 
at  the  same  time  our  presence  and  co-operation  in- 
duced him  to  satisfy  his  own  curiosity  in  regard  to 
some  things  which  had  not  yet  been  examined. 

Throughout  the  ruins  circular  holes  were  found 
at  different  places  in  the  ground,  opening  into  cham- 
bers underneath,  which  had  never  been  examined, 
and  the  character  of  which  was  entirely  unknown. 
We  had  noticed  them,  at  the  time  of  our  former 
visit,  on  the  platform  of  the  great  terrace ; and  though 
this  platform  was  now  entirely  overgrown,  and  many 
of  them  were  hidden  from  sight,  in  opening  a path 
to  communicate  with  the  hacienda  we  had  laid 
bare  two.  The  mayoral  had  lately  discovered  an- 
other at  some  distance  outside  the  wall,  so  perfect 


SUBTERRANEOUS  CHAMBERS. 


227 


at  the  mouth,  and  apparently  so  deep  on  sounding 
it  with  a stone,  that  Don  Simon  wished  to  ex- 
plore it. 

The  next  morning  he  came  to  the  ruins  with  In- 
dians, ropes,  and  candles,  and  we  began  immediately 
with  one  of  those  on  the  platform  before  the  Casa 
del  Gobernador.  The  opening  was  a circular  hole, 
eighteen  inches  in  diameter.  The  throat  consisted 
of  five  layers  of  stones,  a yard  deep,  to  a stratum  of 
solid  rock.  As  it  was  all  dark  beneath,  before  de- 
scending, in  order  to  guard  against  the  effects  of  im- 
pure air,  we  let  down  a candle,  which  soon  touch- 
ed bottom.  The  only  way  of  descending  was  to 
tie  a rope  around  the  body,  and  be  lowered  by  the 
Indians.  In  this  way  I was  let  down,  and  almost 
before  my  head  had  passed  through  the  hole  my  feet 
touched  the  top  of  a heap  of  rubbish,  high  directly 
under  the  hole,  and  falling  off  at  the  sides.  Clam- 
bering down  it,  I found  myself  in  a round  chamber, 
so  filled  with  rubbish  that  I could  not  stand  upright. 
With  a candle  in  my  hand,  I crawled  all  round  on 
my  hands  and  knees.  The  chamber  was  in  the 
shape  of  a dome,  and  had  been  coated  with  plas- 
ter, most  of  which  had  fallen,  and  now  encumbered 
the  ground.  The  depth  could  not  be  ascertained 
without  clearing  out  the  interior.  In  groping  about 
I found  pieces  of  broken  pottery,  and  a vase  of 
terra  cotta,  about  one  foot  in  diameter,  of  good 
workmanship,  and  having  upon  it  a coat  of  enamel, 
which,  though  not  worn  off,  had  lost  some  of  its 


228 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


brightness.  It  had  three  feet,  each  about  an  inch 
high,  one  of  which  is  broken.  In  other  respects  it 
was  entire. 

The  discovery  of  this  vase  was  encouraging. 
Not  one  of  these  places  had  ever  been  explored. 
Neither  Don  Simon  nor  any  of  the  Indians  knew 
anything  about  them,  and,  entering  them  now  for 
the  first  time,  we  were  excited  by  the  hope  that  we 
had  discovered  a rich  mine  of  curious  and  interest- 
ing fabrics  wrought  by  the  inhabitants  of  this  ruined 
city.  Besides  this,  we  had  already  ascertained  one 
point  in  regard  to  which  we  were  doubtful  before. 
This  great  terrace  was  not  entirely  artificial.  The 
substratum  was  of  natural  rock,  and  showed  that 
advantage  had  been  taken  of  a natural  elevation,  so 
far  as  it  went,  and  by  this  means  some  portion  of 
the  immense  labour  of  constructing  the  terrace  had 
been  saved. 

On  the  same  terrace,  directly  at  the  foot  of  the 
steps,  was  another  opening  of  the  same  kind,  and, 
on  clearing  around,  we  found  near  by  a circular 
stone  about  six  inches  in  thickness,  which  fitted  the 
hole,  and  no  doubt  had  served  as  a cover.  This 
hole  was  filled  up  with  dirt  to  within  two  feet  of  the 
mouth,  and  setting  some  Indians  at  work  to  clear  it 
out,  we  passed  on  in  search  of  another. 

Descending  the  terrace,  and  passing  behind  the 
high  and  nameless  mound. which  towers  between 
the  Casa  del  Gobernador  and  Casa  de  Palomos,  the 
Indians  cleared  away  some  bushes,  and  brought  us 


AN  EMPTY  VAULT. 


229 


to  another  opening,  but  a few  feet  from  the  path  we 
had  cut  through,  entirely  hidden  from  view  until  the 
clearing  was  made.  The  mouth  was  similar  to  that 
of  the  first ; the  throat  about  a yard  deep,  and  the 
Indians  lowered  me  down,  without  any  obstruction, 
to  the  bottom. 

The  Indians  looked  upon^pur  entering  these  pla- 
ces as  senseless  and  foolhardy,  and,  besides  imagi- 
nary dangers,  they  talked  of  snakes,  scorpions,  and 
hornets,  the  last  of  which,  from  the  experience  we 
had  had  of  them  in  different  parts  of  the  ruins,  were 
really  objects  of  fear ; for  a swarm  of  them  coming 
upon  a man  in  such  a place,  would  almost  murder 
him  before  he  could  be  hauled  out. 

It  did  not,  however,  require  much  time  to  explore 
this  vault.  It  was  clear  of  rubbish,  perfect  and  en- 
tire in  all  its  parts,  without  any  symptoms  of  decay, 
and  to  all  appearances,  after  the  lapse  of  unknown 
years,  fit  for  the  uses  to  which  it  was  originally  ap- 
plied. Like  the  one  on  the  terrace,  it  was  dome- 
shaped, and  the  sides  fell  in  a little  toward  the  bot- 
tom, like  a well-made  haystack.  The  height  was 
ten  feet  and  six  inches  directly  under  the  mouth, 
and  it  was  seventeen  feet  six  inches  in  diameter. 
The  walls  and  ceiling  were  plastered,  still  in  a good 
state  of  preservation,  and  the  floor  was  of  hard  mor- 
tar. Don  Simon  and  Dr.  Cabot  were  lowered  down, 
and  we  examined  every  part  thoroughly. 

Leaving  this,  we  went  on  to  a third,  which  was 
20 


230 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


exactly  the  same,  except  that  it  was  a little  smaller, 
being  only  five  yards  in  diameter. 

The  fourth  was  the  one  which  had  just  been  dis- 
covered, and  which  had  excited  the  curiosity  of  the 
mayoral.  It  was  a few  feet  outside  of  a wall  which, 
as  Don  Simon  said,  might  be  traced  through  the 
woods,  broken  and  ruined,  until  it  met  and  enclosed 
within  its  circle  the  whole  of  the  principal  buildings. 
The  mouth  was  covered  with  cement,  and  in  the 
throat  was  a large  stone  filling  it  up,  which  the  ma- 
yoral, on  discovering  it,  had  thrown  in  to  prevent 
horses  or  cattle  from  falling  through.  A rope  was 
passed  under  the  stone,  and  it  was  hauled  out.  The 
throat  was  smaller  than  any  of  the  others,  and  hardly 
large  enough  to  pass  the  body  of  a man.  In  shape 
and  finish  it  was  exactly  the  same  as  the  others,  with 
perhaps  a slight  shade  of  difference  in  the  dimen- 
sions. The  smallness  of  this  mouth  was,  to  my 
mind,  strong  proof  that  these  subterraneous  cham- 
bers had  never  been  intended  for  any  purposes  which 
required  men  to  descend  into  them.  I was  really  at 
a loss  how  to  get  out.  The  Indians  had  no  me- 
chanical help  of  any  kind,  but  were  obliged  to  stand 
over  the  hole  and  hoist  by  dead  pull,  making,  as  I 
had  found  before,  a jerking,  irregular  movement. 
The  throat  was  so  small  that  there  was  no  play  for 
the  arms,  to  enable  me  to  raise  myself  up  by  the 
rope,  and  the  stones  around  the  mouth  were  inse- 
cure and  tottering.  I was  obliged  to  trust  to  them, 
and  they  involuntarily  knocked  my  head  against 


GREAT  NUMBER  OF  THESE  CHAMBERS.  231 

the  stones,  let  down  upon  me  a shower  of  dirt,  and 
gave  me  such  a severe  rasping  that  I had  no  dispo- 
sition at  that  time  to  descend  another.  In  fact,  they 
too  were  tired  out,  and  it  was  a business  in  which, 
on  our  own  account  at  least,  it  would  not  do  to 
overtask  them. 

We  were  extremely  disappointed  in  not  finding 
any  more  vases  or  relics  of  any  kind.  We  could 
not  account  for  the  one  found  in  the  chamber  under 
the  terrace,  and  were  obliged  to  suppose  that  it  had 
been  thrown  in  or  got  there  by  accident. 

These  subterraneous  chambers  are  scattered  over 
the  whole  ground  covered  by  the  ruined  city. 
There  was  one  in  the  cattle-yard  before  the  ha- 
cienda, and  the  Indians  were  constantly  discovering 
them  at  greater  distances.  Dr.  Cabot  found  them 
continually  in  his  hunting  excursions,  and  once,  in 
breaking  through  bushes  in  search  of  a bird,  fell  into 
one,  and  narrowly  escaped  a serious  injury  ; indeed, 
there  were  so  many  of  them,  and  in  places  where 
they  were  so  little  to  be  expected,  that  they  made 
rambling  out  of  the  cleared  paths  dangerous,  and  to 
the  last  day  of  our  visit  we  were  constantly  finding 
new  ones. 

That  they  were  constructed  for  some  specific 
purpose,  had  some  definite  object,  and  that  that  ob- 
ject was  uniform,  there  was  no  doubt,  but  what  it 
was,  in  our  ignorance  of  the  habits  of  the  people,  it 
was  difficult  to  say.  Don  Simon  thought  that  the 
cement  was  not  hard  enough  to  hold  water,  and 


232 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


hence  that  they  were  not  intended  as  cisterns  or 
reservoirs,  bat  for  granaries  or  store-houses  of  maize, 
which,  from  our  earliest  knowledge  of  the  abori- 
gines down  to  the  present  day,  has  been  the  staff  of 
life  to  the  inhabitants.  In  this  opinion,  however, 
we  did  not  concur,  and  from  what  we  saw  after- 
ward, believe  that  they  were  intended  as  cisterns, 
and  had  furnished,  in  part  at  least,  a supply  of  wa- 
ter to  the  people  of  the  ruined  city. 

We  returned  to  our  apartments  to  dine,  and  in  the 
afternoon  accompanied  Don  Simon  to  see  the  har- 
vest of  the  maize  crop.  The  great  field  in  front  of 
the  Casa  del  Gobernador  was  planted  with  corn, 
and  on  the  way  we  learned  a fact  which  may  be 
interesting  to  agriculturists  in  the  neighbourhood 
of  those  numerous  cities  throughout  our  country 
which,  being  of  premature  growth,  are  destined  to 
become  ruins.  The  debris  of  ruined  cities  fertil- 
ize and  enrich  land.  Don  Simon  told  us  that  the 
ground  about  Uxmal  was  excellent  for  milpas  or 
corn-fields.  He  had  never  had  a better  crop  of 
maize  than  that  of  the  last  year ; indeed,  it  was  so 
good  that  he  had  planted  a part  of  the  same  land  a 
second  time,  which  is  a thing  unprecedented  under 
their  system  of  agriculture ; and  Don  Simon  had 
another  practical  view  of  the  value  of  these  ruins, 
which  would  have  done  for  the  meridian  of  our  own 
city.  Pointing  to  the  great  buildings,  he  said  that 
if  he  had  Uxmal  on  the  banks  of  the  Mississippi,  it 
would  be  an  immense  fortune,  for  there  was  stone 


PRIMITIVE  AGRICULTURE. 


233 


enough  to  pave  every  street  in  New-Orleans,  with- 
out sending  to  the  North  for  it,  as  it  was  necessary 
to  do ; but,  not  to  be  outdone  in  sensible  views  of 
things,  we  suggested  that  if  he  had  it  on  the  banks 
of  the  Mississippi,  easy  of  access,  preserved  from  the 
rank  vegetation  which  is  now  hurrying  it  to  destruc- 
tion, it  would  stand  like  Herculaneum  and  Pompeii, 
a place  of  pilgrimage  for  the  curious ; and  that  it 
would  be  a much  better  operation  to  put  a fence 
around  it  and  charge  for  admission,  than  to  sell  the 
stone  for  paving  streets. 

By  this  time  we  had  reached  the  foot  of  the  ter- 
race, and  a few  steps  brought  us  into  the  corn-field. 
The  system  of  agriculture  in  Yucatan  is  rather 
primitive.  Besides  hemp  and  sugar,  which  the  In- 
dians seldom  attempt  to  raise  on  their  own  account, 
the  principal  products  of  the  country  are  corn, 
beans,  and  calabazas,  like  our  pumpkins  and  squash- 
es, camotes,  which  are  perhaps  the  parent  of  our 
Carolina  potatoes,  and  chili  or  pepper,  of  which  last 
an  inordinate  quantity  is  consumed,  both  by  the  In- 
dians and  Spaniards.  Indian  corn,  however,  is  the 
great  staple,  and  the  cultivation  of  this  probably  dif- 
fers but  little  now  from  the  system  followed  by  the 
Indians  before  the  conquest.  In  the  dry  season, 
generally  in  the  months  of  January  and  February, 
a place  is  selected  in  the  woods,  from  which  the 
trees  are  cut  down  and  burned.  In  May  or  June 
the  corn  is  planted.  This  is  done  by  making  little 
holes  in  the  ground  with  a pointed  stick,  putting  in 

Vol.  I.— G G 


234 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


a few  grains  of  com  and  covering  them  over.  Once 
in  the  ground,  it  is  left  to  take  care  of  itself,  and  if 
it  will  not  grow,  it  is  considered  that  the  land  is  not 
worth  having.  The  corn  has  a fair  start  with  the 
weeds,  and  they  keep  pace  amicably  together.  The 
hoe,  plough,  and  harrow  are  entirely  unknown  ; in- 
deed, in  general  neither  of  the  last  two  could  be 
used,  on  account  of  the  stony  face  of  the  country : 
the  machete  is  the  only  instrument  employed. 

The  milpa  around  the  ruins  of  Uxmal  had  been 
more  than  usually  neglected;  the  crop  turned  out 
badly,  but  such  as  it  was,  the  Indians  from  three  of 
Don  Simon's  adjoining  haciendas,  according  to  their 
obligation  to  the  master,  were  engaged  in  getting  it 
in.  They  were  distributed  in  different  parts  of  the 
field  ; and  of  those  we  came  upon  first,  I counted 
a small  group  of  fifty-three.  As  we  drew  near,  all 
stopped  working,  approached  Don  Simon,  bowed 
respectfully  to  him,  and  then  to  us  as  his  friends. 
The  corn  had  been  gathered,  and  these  men  were 
engaged  in  threshing  it  out.  A space  was  cleared 
of  about  a hundred  feet  square,  and  along  the  bor- 
der of  it  was  a line  of  small  hammocks  hanging  on 
stakes  fixed  iii  the  ground,  in  which  the  Indians 
slept  during  the  whole  time  of  the  harvest,  each  with 
a little  fire  underneath  to  warm  him  in  the  cool 
night  air,  and  drive  away  the  moschetoes. 

Don  Simon  threw  himself  into  one  of  the  ham- 
mocks, and  held  out  one  of  his  legs,  which  was  cover- 
ed with  burrs  and  briers.  These  men  were  free  aud 


A RUDE  THRESHING  MACHINE.  235 


independent  electors  of  the  State  of  Yucatan ; but 
one  of  them  took  in  his  hand  Don  Simon’s  foot, 
picked  off  the  burrs,  pulled  off  the  shoe,  cleaned  the 
stocking,  and,  restoring  the  shoe,  laid  the  foot  back 
carefully  in  the  hammock,  and  then  took  up  the 
other.  It  was  all  done  as  a matter  of  course,  and 
no  one  bestowed  a thought  upon  it  except  our- 
selves. 

On  one  side  of  the  clearing  was  a great  pile  or 
small  mountain  of  corn  in  the  ear,  ready  to  be 
threshed,  and  near  by  was  the  threshing  machine, 
which  certainly  could  not  be  considered  an  in- 
fringement of  any  Yankee  patent  right.  It  was  a 
rude  scaffold  about  eighteen  or  twenty  feet  square, 
made  of  four  untrimmed  upright  posts  for  cor- 
ners, with  poles  lashed  to  them  horizontally  three 
or  four  feet  from  the  ground,  and  across  these  was  a 
layer  of  sticks,  about  an  inch  thick,  side  by  side  ; 
the  whole  might  have  served  as  a rude  model  of  the 
first  bedstead  ever  made. 

The  parallel  sticks  served  as  a threshing  floor,  on 
which  was  spread  a thick  layer  of  corn.  On  each 
side  a rude  ladder  of  two  or  three  rounds  rested 
against  the  floor,  and  on  each  of  these  ladders  stood 
a nearly  naked  Indian,  with  a long  pole  in  his  hand, 
beating  the  corn.  The  grains  fell  through,  and  at 
each  corner  under  the  floor  was  a man  with  a brush 
made  of  bushes,  sweeping  off  the  cobs.  The  shelled 
corn  was  afterward  taken  up  in  baskets  and  car- 
ried to  the  hacienda.  The  whole  process  would 


236 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


have  surprised  a Genesee  farmer;  but  perhaps, where 
labour  was  so  little  costly,  it  answered  as  well  as 
the  best  threshing  machine  that  could  be  invented. 

The  next  day  we  had  another  welcome  visiter  in 
our  fellow-passenger,  Mr.  Camerden,  who  was  just 
from  Campeachy,  where  he  had  seen  New- York 
papers  to  the  third  of  November.  Knowing  our 
deep  interest  in  the  affairs  of  our  country,  and  post- 
poning his  own  curiosity  about  the  ruins,  he  hasten- 
ed to  communicate  to  us  the  result  of  the  city  elec- 
tions, viz.,  a contest  in  the  sixth  ward  and  entire  un- 
certainty which  party  was  uppermost. 

Unfortunately,  Mr.  Camerden,  not  being  in  very 
good  health  at  the  time,  was  also  infected  with  ap- 
prehensions about  Uxmal,  and  as  El  Norte  still  con- 
tinued, the  coldness  and  rain  made  him  uneasy  in  a 
place  of  such  bad  reputation.  Having  no  ill  feel- 
ings against  him  and  no  spare  moscheto-net,  we  did 
not  ask  him  to  remain  at  night,  and  he  accompa- 
nied Don  Simon  to  the  hacienda  to  sleep. 

The  next  day  Doctor  Cabot  had  a professional 
engagement  at  the  hacienda.  In  both  my  expedi- 
tions into  that  region  of  country  our  medical  de- 
partment was  incomplete.  On  the  former  occasion 
we  had  a medicine-chest,  but  no  doctor,  and  this 
time  we  had  a doctor,  but  no  medicine-chest.  This 
necessary  appendage  had  been  accidentally  left  on 
board  the  ship,  and  did  not  come  to  our  hands  till 
some  time  afterward.  We  had  only  a small  stock 
purchased  in  Merida,  and  on  this  account,  as  well 


MORE  PRACTICE  IN  SURGERY.  237 

as  because  it  interfered  with  his  other  pursuits,  the 
doctor  had  avoided  entering  into  general  practice. 
He  was  willing  to  attend  to  cases  that  might  be 
cured  by  a single  operation,  but  the  principal  dis- 
eases were  fevers,  which  could  not  be  cut  out  with 
a knife.  The  day  before,  however,  a young  Indian 
came  to  the  ruins  on  an  errand  to  Don  Simon,  who 
had  a leg  swollen  with  varicose  veins.  He  had  a 
mild  expression,  meek  and  submissive  manners,  and 
was  what  Don  Simon  called,  in  speaking  of  his  best 
servants,  muy  docil,  or  very  docile.  He  stood  at 
that  time  in  an  interesting  position,  being  about  to 
be  married.  Don  Simon  had  had  him  at  Merida 
six  months,  under  the  care  of  a physician,  but  with- 
out any  good  result,  and  the  young  man  was  taking 
his  chance  for  better  or  worse,  almost  with  the  cer- 
tainty of  becoming  in  a few  years  disabled,  and  a 
mass  of  corruption.  Doctor  Cabot  undertook  to 
perform  an  operation,  for  which  purpose  it  was  ne- 
cessary to  go  to  the  hacienda ; and,  that  we  might 
return  with  Mr.  Camerden,  we  all  went  there  to 
breakfast. 

Under  the  corridor  was  an  old  Indian  leaning 
against  a pillar,  with  his  arms  folded  across  his 
breast,  and  before  him  a row  of  little  Indian  girls, 
all,  too,  with  arms  folded,  to  whom  he  was  teaching 
the  formal  part  of  the  church  service,  giving  out  a 
few  words,  which  they  all  repeated  after  him.  As 
we  entered  the  corridor,  he  came  up  to  us,  bowed, 
and  kissed  our  hands,  and  all  the  little  girls  did  the 


same. 


238 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


Don  Simon  had  breakfast  ready  for  us,  but  we 
found  some  deficiencies.  The  haciendas  of  that 
country  never  have  any  surplus  furniture,  being  only 
visited  by  the  master  once  or  twice  a year,  and  then 
only  for  a few  days,  when  he  brings  with  him  what- 
ever he  requires  for  his  personal  comfort.  Uxmal 
was  like  the  rest,  and  at  that  moment  it  was  worse 
off,  for  we  had  stripped  it  of  almost  every  movable  to 
enlarge  our  accommodations  at  the  ruins.  Our  great- 
est difficulty  was  about  seats.  All  contrived  to  be 
provided  for,  however,  except  Don  Simon,  who 
finally,  as  it  was  an  extreme  case,  went  into  the 
church  and  brought  out  the  great  confessional  chair. 

Breakfast  over,  the  doctor’s  patient  was  brought 
forward.  He  was  not  consulted  on  the  subject  of 
the  operation,  and  had  no  wish  of  his  own  about  it, 
but  did  as  his  master  ordered  him.  At  the  moment 
of  beginning,  Doctor  Cabot  asked  for  a bed.  He  had 
not  thought  of  asking  for  it  before,  supposing  it 
would  be  ready  at  a moment’s  notice  ; but  he  might 
almost  as  well  have  asked  for  a steamboat  or  a 
locomotive  engine.  Who  ever  thought  of  wanting 
a bed  at  Uxmal?  was  the  general  feeling  of  the  In- 
dians. They  were  all  born  in  hammocks,  and 
expected  to  die  in  them,  and  who  wanted  a bed 
when  he  could  get  a hammock  ? A bed,  however 
(which  means  a bedstead),  wTas  indispensable,  and 
the  Indians  dispersed  in  search,  returning,  after  a 
long  absence,  with  tidings  that  they  had  heard  of 
one  on  the  hacienda,  but  it  had  been  taken  apart, 


A LEG  PATIENT. 


239 


and  the  pieces  were  in  use  for  other  purposes. 
They  were  sent  off  again,  and  at  length  we  received 
notice  that  the  bed  was  coming,  and  presently  it 
appeared  advancing  through  the  gate  of  the  cattle- 
yard  in  the  shape  of  a bundle  of  poles  on  the  shoul- 
der of  an  Indian.  For  purposes  of  immediate  use, 
they  might  as  well  have  been  on  the  tree  that  pro- 
duced them,  but,  after  a while,  they  were  put  to- 
gether, and  made  a bedstead  that  would  have  aston- 
ished a city  cabinet-maker. 

In  the  mean  time  the  patient  was  looking  on, 
perhaps  with  somewhat  the  feeling  of  a man  super- 
intending the  making  of  his  own  coffin.  The  dis- 
ease was  in  his  right  leg,  which  was  almost  as  thick 
as  his  body,  covered  with  ulcers,  and  the  distended 
veins  stood  out  like  whipcords.  Doctor  Cabot  con- 
sidered it  necessary  to  cut  two  veins.  The  Indian 
stood  up,  resting  the  whole  weight  of  his  body  on 
the  diseased  leg,  so  as  to  bring  them  out  to  the  full- 
est, and  supporting  himself  by  leaning  with  his 
hands  on  a bench.  One  vein  was  cut,  the  wound 
bound  up,  and  then  the  operation  was  performed  on 
the  other  by  thrusting  a stout  pin  into  the  flesh  un- 
der the  vein,  and  bringing  it  out  on  the  other  side, 
then  winding  a thread  round  the  protruding  head 
and  point,  and  leaving  the  pin  to  cut  its  way  through 
the  vein  and  fester  out.  The  leg  was  then  bound 
tight,  and  the  Indian  laid  upon  the  bed.  During 
the  whole  time  not  a muscle  of  his  face  moved,  and, 
except  at  the  moment  when  the  pin  was  thrust  un- 


240 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


der  the  vein,  when  his  hand  contracted  on  the 
bench,  it  could  not  have  been  told  that  he  was  un- 
dergoing an  operation  of  any  kind. 

This  over,  we  set  out  on  our  return  with  Mr. 
Camerden  to  the  ruins,  hut  had  hardly  left  the  gate 
of  the  cattle-yard,  when  we  met  an  Indian  with  his 
arm  in  a sling,  coming  in  search  of  Doctor  Cabot 
A death-warrant  seemed  written  in  his  face.  His 
little  wife,  a girl  about  fourteen  years  old,  soon  to 
become  a mother,  was  trotting  beside  him,  and  his 
case  showed  how,  in  those  countries,  human  life  is 
the  sport  of  accident  and  ignorance.  A few  days 
before,  by  some  awkwardness,  he  had  given  his  left 
arm  a severe  cut  near  the  elbow  with  a machete 
To  stop  the  bleeding,  his  wife  had  tied  one  string 
as  tightly  as  possible  around  the  wrist,  and  another 
in  the  hollow  of  the  arm,  and  so  it  had  remained 
three  days.  The  treatment  had  been  pretty  effect- 
ual in  stopping  the  bleeding,  and  it  had  very  nearly 
stopped  the  circulation  of  his  blood  forever.  The 
hand  was  shrunken  to  nothing,  and  seemed  wither- 
ed ; the  part  of  the  arm  between  the  two  ligatures 
was  swmllen  enormously,  and  the  seat  of  the  wound 
was  a mass  of  corruption.  Doctor  Cabot  took  off 
the  fastenings,  and  endeavoured  to  teach  her  to  re- 
store the  circulation  by  friction,  or  rubbing  the  arm 
with  the  palm  of  the  hand,  but  she  had  no  more 
idea  of  the  circulation  of  the  blood  than  of  the 
revolution  of  the  planets. 

The  wound,  on  being  probed,  gave  out  a foul  and 


AN  ARM  PATIENT. 


241 


pestilential  discharge,  and,  when  that  was  cleared 
away,  out  poured  a stream  of  arterial  blood.  The 
man  had  cut  an  arterial  vein.  Doctor  Cabot  had 
no  instruments  with  him  with  which  to  take  it  up, 
and,  grasping  the  arm  with  a strong  pressure  on  the 
vein,  so  as  to  stop  the  flow  of  blood,  he  transferred 
the  arm  to  me,  fixing  my  fingers  upon  the  vein,  and 
requesting  me  to  hold  it  in  that  position  while  he 
ran  to  the  ruins  for  his  instruments.  This  was  by 
no  means  pleasant.  If  I lost  the  right  pressure,  the 
man  might  bleed  to  death  ; and,  having  no  regular 
diploma  warranting  people  to  die  on  my  hands,  not 
willing  to  run  the  risk  of  any  accident,  and  know- 
ing the  imperturbable  character  of  the  Indians,  I got 
the  arm  transferred  to  one  of  them,  with  a warning 
that  the  man’s  life  depended  upon  him.  Doctor 
Cabot  was  gone  more  than  half  an  hour,  and  during 
all  that  time,  while  the  patient’s  head  was  falling  on 
his  shoulder  with  fainting  fits,  the  Indian  looked 
directly  in  his  face,  and  held  up  the  arm  with  a fix- 
edness of  attitude  that  would  have  served  as  a 
model  for  a sculptor.  I do  not  believe  that,  for  a 
single  moment,  the  position  of  the  arm  varied  a 
hair’s  breadth. 

Doctor  Cabot  dressed  the  wound,  and  the  Indian 
was  sent  away,  with  an  even  chance,  as  the  doctor 
considered,  for  life  or  death.  The  next  that  we 
heard  of  him,  however,  he  was  at  work  in  the  fields; 
certainly,  but  for  the  accidental  visit  of  Doctor  Ca- 
bot, he  would  have  been  in  his  grave. 

Vol.  I.— H h 21 


242 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


After  this  there  were  some  delicate  cases  among 
the  women  of  the  hacienda ; and  these  multifarious 
occupations  consumed  the  whole  of  the  morning, 
which  we  had  intended  to  devote  to  Mr.  Camer- 
den  and  the  ruins.  It  was  a cold  and  cheerless 
day ; the  Norther  was  increasing  in  force,  and  he 
saw  malaria  and  sickness  all  around  him.  In  the 
afternoon  he  left  us  to  return  to  New- York  by  the 
same  vessel  which  had  brought  us  out.  Unfortu- 
nately, he  carried  away  with  him  the  seeds  of  a 
dangerous  illness,  from  which  he  did  not  recover 
in  many  months. 

The  next  day  Don  Simon  left  us,  and  we  were 
again  alone.  Sickness  was  increasing  on  the  haci- 
enda, and  two  days  afterward  we  received  notice 
that  Doctor  Cabot’s  leg  patient  was  ill  with  fever, 
and  also  that  a woman  had  died  that  day  of  the 
same  disease,  and  was  to  be  buried  the  next  morn- 
ing. We  ordered  horses  to  be  sent  up  to  the  ru- 
ins, and  early  in  the  morning  Dr.  Cabot  and  myself 
rode  to  the  hacienda,  he  to  visit  his  patient,  and  I 
to  attend  the  funeral,  in  the  expectation  that  such 
an  event,  on  a retired  hacienda,  without  any  priest 
or  religious  ceremonies,  would  disclose  some  usage 
or  custom  illustrative  of  the  ancient  Indian  charac- 
ter. Leaving  my  horse  in  the  cattle-yard,  in  com- 
pany with  the  mayoral  I walked  to  the  campo  santo. 
This  was  a clearing  in  the  woods  at  a short  dis- 
tance from  the  house,  square,  and  enclosed  by  a 
rude  stone  fence.  It  had  been  consecrated  with 


* 


A CAMPO  SANTO. 


243 


the  ceremonies  of  the  church,  and  was  intended  as 
a burial-place  for  all  who  died  on  the  estate  ; a rude 
place,  befitting  the  rude  and  simple  people  for  whom 
it  was  designed.  When  we  entered  wc  saw  a 
grave  half  dug,  which  had  been  abandoned  on  ac- 
count of  the  stones,  and  some  Indians  were  then 
occupied  in  digging  another. 

Only  one  part  of  the  cemetery  had  been  used  as 
a burial-place,  and  this  was  indicated  by  little  wood- 
en crosses,  one  planted  at  the  head  of  each  grave. 
In  this  part  of  the  cemetery  was  a stone  enclosure 
about  four  feet  high,  and  the  same  in  diameter, 
which  was  intended  as  a sort  of  charnel-house,  and 
was  then  filled  with  skulls  and  bones,  whitening  in 
the  sun.  I moved  to  this  place,  and  began  exam- 
ining the  skulls. 

The  Indians,  in  digging  the  grave,  used  a crow- 
bar and  machete,  and  scooped  out  the  loose  earth 
with  their  hands.  As  the  work  proceeded,  I heard 
the  crowbar  enter  something  with  a cracking,  tear- 
ing sound : it  had  passed  through  a human  skull. 
One  of  the  Indians  dug  it  out  with  his  hands,  and, 
after  they  had  all  examined  and  commented  upon  it, 
handed  it  to  the  mayoral,  who  gave  it  to  me.  They 
all  knew  whose  skull  it  was.  It  was  that  of  a 
woman  who  had  been  born  and  brought  up,  and 
who  had  died  among  them,  and  whom  they  had 
buried  only  the  last  dry  season,  but  little  more  than 
a year  before.  The  skull  was  laid  upon  the  pile, 
and  the  Indians  picked  out  the  arms  and  legs,  and 


244 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


all  the  smaller  bones.  Below  the  ribs,  from  the 
back  downward,  the  flesh  had  not  decayed,  but  dried 
up  and  adhered  to  the  bones,  which,  all  hanging  to- 
gether, they  lifted  out  and  laid  upon  the  pile.  All 
this  was  done  decently  and  with  respect. 

As  I stood  by  the  enclosure  of  bones,  I took  up 
different  skulls,  and  found  that  they  were  all  known 
and  identified.  The  campo  santo  had  been  opened 
but  about  five  years,  and  every  skull  had  once  sat 
upon  the  shoulders  of  an  acquaintance. 

The  graves  were  all  on  one  side,  and  on  the 
other  no  dead  had  been  buried.  I suggested  to  the 
mayoral,  that  by  beginning  on  the  farther  side,  and 
burying  in  order,  every  corpse  would  have  time  to 
decay  and  become  dust  before  its  place  was  wanted 
for  another,  which  he  seemed  to  think  a good  idea, 
and  communicated  it  to  the  Indians,  who  stopped 
their  work,  looked  at  him  and  at  me,  and  then  went 
on  digging.  I added,  that  in  a few  years  the  bones 
of  the  friend  they  were  about  burying,  and  his 
own,  and  those  of  all  the  rest  of  them,  would  be 
pulled  and  handled  like  those  on  the  pile,  which, 
also,  he  communicated  to  them,  and  with  the  same 
effect.  In  the  mean  time  I had  overhauled  the 
skulls,  and  placed  on  the  top  two  which  I ascertain- 
ed to  be  those  of  full-blooded  Indians,  intending  to 
appropriate  and  carry  them  off  at  the  first  conve- 
nient opportunity. 

The  Indians  worked  as  slowly  as  if  each  was  dig- 
ging his  own  grave,  and  at  length  the  husband  of 


DIGGING  A GRAVE. 


245 


the  deceased  came  out,  apparently  to  hurry  them. 
He  was  bare-headed,  had  long  black  hair  hanging 
down  over  his  eyes,  and,  dressed  in  a clean  blue  flan- 
nel shirt,  he  seemed  what  lie  really  was,  one  of  the 
most  respectable  men  on  the  hacienda.  Sitting 
down  by  the  side  of  the  grave,  he  took  two  sticks 
which  were  there  for  that  purpose,  with  one  of  which 
he  measured  the  length,  and  with  the  other  the 
breadth.  This,  to  say  the  least  of  it,  was  cool,  and 
the  expression  of  his  face  was  of  that  stolid  and  un- 
bending kind,  that  no  idea  could  be  formed  of  his 
feelings  ; but  it  was  not  too  much  to  suppose  that  a 
man  in  the  early  prime  of  life,  who  had  fulfilled  well 
all  the  duties  of  his  station,  must  feel  some  emotion 
in  measuring  the  grave  of  one  who  had  been  his 
companion  when  the  labours  of  the  day  were  over, 
and  who  was  the  mother  of  his  children. 

The  grave  was  not  large  enough,  and  he  took 
his  seat  at  the  foot,  and  waited  while  the  Indians 
enlarged  it,  from  time  to  time  suggesting  an  improve- 
ment. In  the  mean  time  Doctor  Cabot  arrived  on 
the  ground  with  his  gun,  and  one  of  the  grave-dig- 
gers pointed  out  a flock  of  parrots  flying  over.  They 
were  too  far  off  to  kill,  but  as  the  Indians  were  al- 
ways astonished  at  seeing  a shot  on  the  wing,  and 
all  seemed  anxious  to  have  him  shoot,  he  fired,  and 
knocked  out -some  feathers.  The  Indians  laughed, 
watched  the  feathers  as  they  fell  into  the  graveyard, 
and  then  resumed  their  work.  At  length  the  hus- 
band again  took  the  sticks,  measured  the  grave,  and 


246 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


finding  all  right,  returned  to  the  house.  The  In- 
dians picked  up  a rude  barrow  made  of  two  long 
poles  with  crosspieces,  which  had  been  thrown 
down  by  the  side  of  the  last  corpse  it  had  carried, 
and  went  off  for  the  dead  body.  They  were  gone 
so  long  that  we  thought  they  wished  to  wear  out 
our  patience,  and  told  the  mayoral  to  go  and  hurry 
them ; but  presently  we  heard  a shuffling  of  feet, 
and  the  sound  of  female  voices,  heralding  a tumult- 
uous procession  of  women.  On  reaching  the  fence 
of  the  cemetery  they  all  stopped,  and,  seeing  us,  would 
not  come  in,  except  one  old  Beelzebub,  who  climb- 
ed over,  walked  directly  to  the  foot  of  the  grave, 
leaned  down,  and,  looking  into  it,  made  some  ex- 
clamation which  set  all  the  women  outside  laugh- 
ing. This  so  incensed  the  old  woman  that  she 
picked  up  a handful  of  stones,  and  began  pelting 
them  right  and  left,  at  which  they  all  scattered  with 
great  confusion  and  laughter,  and  in  the  midst  of 
this,  the  corpse,  attended  by  an  irregular  crow  d of 
men,  women,  and  children,  made  its  appearance. 

The  barrow  was  lifted  over  the  fence  and  laid 
down  beside  the  grave.  The  body  had  no  coffin, 
but  was  wrapped  from  head  to  foot  in  a blue  cotton 
shawl  with  a yellow  border.  The  head  was  un- 
covered, and  the  feet  stuck  out,  and  had  on  a pair 
of  leather  shoes  and  white  cotton  stockings,  prob- 
ably a present  from  her  husband  on  his  return  from 
some  visit  to  Merida,  which  the  poor  w oman  had 
never  worn  in  life,  and  which  he  thought  he  was 
doing  her  honour  by  placing  in  her  grave. 


AN  INDIAN  BURIAL. 


247 


The  Indians  passed  ropes  under  the  body ; the 
husband  himself  supported  the  head,  and  so  it  was 
lowered  into  the  grave.  The  figure  was  tall,  and 
the  face  was  that  of  a woman  about  twenty-three 
or  twenty-four  years  old.  The  expression  was  pain- 
ful, indicating  that  in  the  final  struggle  the  spirit  had 
been  reluctant  to  leave  its  mortal  tenement.  There 
was  but  one  present  who  shed  tears,  and  that  was 
the  old  mother  of  the  deceased,  who  doubtless  had 
expected  this  daughter  to  lay  her  own  head  in  the 
grave.  She  held  by  the  hand  a bright-eyed  girl, 
who  looked  on  with  wonder,  happily  unconscious 
that  her  best  friend  on  earth  was  to  be  laid  under 
the  sod.  The  shawl  was  opened,  and  showed  a 
white  cotton  dress  under  it;  the  arms,  which  were 
folded  across  the  breast  for  the  convenience  of  car- 
rying the  body,  were  laid  down  by  the  sides,  and 
the  shawl  was  again  wrapped  round.  The  hus- 
band himself  arranged  the  head,  placed  under  it  a 
cotton  cloth  for  a pillow,  and  composed  it  for  its  fi- 
nal rest  as  carefully  as  if  a pebble  or  a stone  could 
hurt  it.  He  brushed  a handful  of  earth  over  the 
face ; the  Indians  filled  up  the  grave,  and  all  went 
away.  No  romance  hangs  over  such  a burial  scene, 
but  it  was  not  unnatural  to  follow  in  imagination 
the  widowed  Indian  to  his  desolate  hut. 

We  had  been  disappointed  in  not  seeing  any  rel- 
ic of  Indian  customs,  and,  as  it  was  now  eleven 
o’clock  and  we  had  not  breakfasted,  we  did  not 
consider  ourselves  particularly  indemnified  for  our 
trouble. 


248 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

Means  by  which  the  City  was  supplied  with  Water. — Aguadas. — 
A delightful  Bathing-place.  — Manner  of  Living  at  the  Ruins. 
— How  to  roast  a Pig. — Nameless  Mound. — Excavations  made 
in  it. — Great  Exertions. — A bitter  Disappointment. — An  Attack 
of  Fever. — Visit  from  the  Cura  of  Ticul. — Departure  for  Ticul. 
— A painful  Journey. — Arrival  at  the  Convent. — Arrival  of  Dr. 
Cabot,  ill  with  Fever. — Gloomy  Prospects. — A simple  Remedy 
for  Fever. — Aspect  of  Ticul.  — The  Church. — Funeral  Urn.  — 
Monument  and  Inscription. — Convent. — Character  of  the  Cura 
Carillo.— The  Date  of  the  Construction  of  the  Convent  un- 
known.— Probably  built  with  the  Materials  furnished  by  the 
Ruins  of  former  Cities. — Archives  of  the  Convent. 

In  the  account  of  my  former  visit  to  the  ruins  of 
Uxmal,  I mentioned  the  fact  that  this  city  was  en- 
tirely destitute  of  apparent  means  for  obtaining  wa- 
ter. Within  the  whole  circumference  there  is  no 
well,  stream,  or  fountain,  and  nothing  which  bears 
the  appearance  of  having  been  used  for  supplying 
or  obtaining  water,  except  the  subterraneous  cham- 
bers before  referred  to  ; which,  supposing  them  to 
have  been  intended  for  that  purpose,  would  probably 
not  have  been  sufficient,  however  numerous,  to  sup- 
ply the  wants  of  so  large  a population. 

All  the  water  required  for  our  own  use  we  were 
obliged  to  procure  from  the  hacienda.  We  felt  the 
inconvenience  of  this  during  the  whole  of  our  resi- 
dence at  the  ruins,  and  very  often,  in  spite  of  all 
our  care  to  keep  a supply  on  hand,  we  came  in,  af- 


A G U A D A S. 


249 


ter  hard  work  in  the  sun,  and,  parched  with  thirst, 
were  obliged  to  wait  till  we  could  send  an  Indian 
to  the  hacienda,  a distance,  going  and  returning,  of 
three  miles. 

Very  soon  after  our  arrival  our  attention  and  in- 
quiries were  directed  particularly  to  this  subject, 
and  we  were  not  long  in  satisfying  ourselves  that 
the  principal  supply  had  been  drawn  from  aguadas, 
or  ponds,  in  the  neighbourhood.  These  aguadas 
are  now  neglected  and  overgrown,  and  perhaps,  to  a 
certain  extent,  are  the  cause  of  the  unhealthiness  of 
Uxrnal.  The  principal  of  them  we  saw  first  from 


the  top  of  the  House  of  the  Dwarf,  bearing  west,  and 
perhaps  a mile  and  a half  distant.  We  visited  it 
Vol.  I. — I i 


250 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


under  the  guidance  of  the  mayoral,  with  some  In- 
dians to  clear  the  way.  The  whole  intervening 
space  was  overgrown  with  woods,  the  ground  was 
low  and  muddy,  and,  as  the  rains  still  continued,  the 
aguada  was  at  that  time  a fine  sheet  of  water.  It 
was  completely  imbosomed  among  trees,  still  and 
desolate,  with  tracks  of  deer  on  its  banks ; a few 
ducks  were  swimming  on  its  surface,  and  a king- 
fisher was  sitting  on  the  bough  of  an  overhanging 
tree,  watching  for  his  prey.  The  mayoral  told  us 
that  this  aguada  was  connected  with  another  more 
to  the  south,  and  that  they  continued,  one  after  the 
other,  to  a great  distance  ; to  use  his  own  expres- 
sion, which,  however,  I did  not  understand  literally, 
there  were  a hundred  of  them. 

The  general  opinion  with  regard  to  these  agua- 
das  is  the  same  with  that  expressed  by  the  cura  of 
Tekoh  respecting  that  near  Mayapan  ; viz.,  that 
they  were  “hechas  a mano,”  artificial  formations  or 
excavations  made  by  the  ancient  inhabitants  as  res- 
ervoirs for  holding  water.  The  mayoral  told  us  that 
in  the  dry  season,  when  the  water  was  low,  the  re- 
mains of  stone  embankments  were  still  visible  in 
several  places.  As  yet  we  were  incredulous  as  to 
their  being  at  all  artificial,  but  we  had  no  difficulty 
in  believing  that  they  had  furnished  the  inhabitants 
of  Uxmal  with  water.  The  distance,  from  what 
will  be  seen  hereafter,  in  that  dry  and  destitute  coun- 
try amounts  to  but  little. 


A DELIGHTFUL  BATHING - PL  ACE.  251 


At  the  time  of  our  first  visit  to  it,  however,  this 
aguada  had  in  our  eyes  a more  direct  and  personal 
interest.  From  the  difficulty  of  procuring  water  at 
the  ruins,  we  were  obliged  to  economize  in  the  use  of 
it,  while,  from  the  excessive  heat  and  toil  of  working 
among  the  ruins,  covered  with  dust  and  scratched 
with  briers,  there  was  nothing  we  longed  for  so  much 
as  the  refreshment  of  a bath,  and  it  was  no  unimpor- 
tant part  of  our  business  at  the  aguada  to  examine 
whether  it  would  answer  as  a bathing-place.  The 
result  was  more  satisfactory  than  we  expected.  The 
place  was  actually  inviting.  We  selected  a little  cove 
shaded  by  a large  tree  growing  almost  out  of  the 
water,  had  a convenient  space  cleared  around  it,  a 
good  path  cut  all  the  way  through  the  woods  to  the 
terrace  of  the  Casa  del  Gobernador,  and  on  the  first 
of  December  we  consecrated  it  by  our  first  bath. 
The  mayoral,  shrunken  and  shattered  by  fever  and 
ague,  stood  by  protesting  against  it,  and  warning  us 
of  the  consequences  ; but  we  had  attained  the  only 
thing  necessary  for  our  comfort  at  Uxmal,  and  in 
the  height  of  our  satisfaction  had  no  apprehensions 
for  the  result. 

Up  to  this  time  our  manner  of  living  at  the  ruins 
had  been  very  uniform,  and  our  means  abundant. 
All  that  was  on  the  hacienda  belonging  to  the  mas- 
ter was  ours,  as  were  also  the  services  of  the  In- 
dians, so  far  as  he  had  a right  to  command  them. 
The  property  of  the  master  consisted  of  cattle,  hor- 
ses, mules,  and  corn,  of  which  only  the  last  could  be 


252 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


counted  as  provisions.  Some  of  the  Indians  had  a 
few  fowls,  pigs,  and  turkeys  of  their  own,  which 
they  were  in  general  willing  to  sell,  and  every  morn- 
ing those  who  came  out  to  work  brought  with  them 
water,  fowls,  eggs,  lard,  green  beans,  and  milk.  Oc- 
casionally we  had  a haunch  of  venison,  and  Doctor 
Cabot  added  to  our  larder  several  kinds  of  ducks, 
wild  turkeys,  chachalachas,  quails,  pigeons,  doves, 
parrots,  jays,  and  other  smaller  birds.  Besides  these, 
we  received  from  time  to  time  a present  from  the 
Doha  Joaquina  or  Don  Simon,  and  altogether  our 
living  was  better  than  we  had  ever  known  in  ex- 
ploring ruins.  Latterly,  however,  on  account  of  the 
thickness  of  the  woods,  Doctor  Cabot  had  become 
disgusted  with  sporting  ; having  no  dog,  it  was  some- 
times impossible  to  find  one  bird  out  of  six,  and  he 
confined  his  shooting  to  birds  which  he  wanted  for 
dissection.  At  this  time,  too,  we  received  intelli- 
gence that  the  fowls  at  the  hacienda  were  running 
short,  and  the  eggs  gave  out  altogether. 

There  was  no  time  to  be  lost,  and  wTe  forthwith 
despatched  Albino  with  an  Indian  to  the  village  of 
Moona,  twelve  miles  distant,  who  returned  with  a 
back-load  of  eggs,  beans,  rice,  and  sugar,  and  again 
the  sun  went  down  upon  us  in  the  midst  of  plenty. 
A pig  arrived  from  Don  Simon,  sent  from  another 
hacienda,  the  cooking  of  which  enlisted  the  warm- 
est sympathies  of  all  our  heads  of  departments,  Al- 
bino, Bernaldo,  and  Chaipa  Chi.  They  had  their 
own  way  of  doing  it,  national,  and  derived  from 


AN  IMPOSING  STRUCTURE.  253 

their  forefathers,  being  the  same  way  in  which  those 
respectable  people  cooked  men  and  women,  as  Ber- 
nal Dias  says,  “ dressing  the  bodies  in  their  manner, 
which  is  by  a sort  of  oven  made  with  heated  stones, 
which  are  put  under  ground.”  They  made  an  ex- 
cavation on  the  terrace,  kindled  a large  fire  in  it, 
and  kept  it  burning  until  the  pit  was  heated  like 
an  oven.  Two  clean  stones  were  laid  in  the  bot- 
tom, the  pig  (not  alive)  was  laid  upon  them,  and 
covered  over  with  leaves  and  bushes,  packed  down 
with  stones  so  close  as  barely  to  leave  vent  to  the 
fire,  and  allow  an  escape  for  the  smoke. 

While  this  bake  was  going  on  I set  out  on  a bu- 
siness close  at  hand,  but  which,  in  the  pressure  of 
other  matters,  I had  postponed  from  day  to  day. 
On  a line  with  the  back  of  the  Casa  del  Gobernador 
rises  the  high  and  nameless  mound  represented  in 
the  frontispiece,  forming  one  of  the  grandest  and 
most  imposing  structures  among  all  the  ruins  of 
Uxmal.  It  was  at  that  time  covered  with  trees  and 
a thick  growth  of  herbage,  which  gave  a gloominess 
to  its  grandeur  of  proportions,  and,  but  for  its  regu- 
larity, and  a single  belt  of  sculptured  stones  barely 
visible  at  the  top,  it  would  have  passed  for  a wood- 
ed and  grass-grown  hill.  Taking  some  Indians 
with  me,  I ascended  this  mound,  and  began  clearing 
it  for  Mr.  Catherwood  to  draw.  I found  that  its 
vast  sides  were  all  incased  with  stone,  in  some  pla- 
ces richly  ornamented,  but  completely  hidden  from 
view  by  the  foliage. 


22 


254 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


The  height  of  this  mound  was  sixty-five  feet,  and 
it  measured  at  the  base  three  hundred  feet  on  one 
side  and  two  hundred  on  the  other.  On  the  top 
was  a great  platform  of  solid  stone,  three  feet  high 
and  seventy-five  feet  square,  and  about  fifteen  feet 
from  the  top  was  a narrow  terrace  running  on  all 
four  of  the  sides.  The  walls  of  the  platform  were 
of  smooth  stone,  and  the  corners  had  sculptured  or- 
naments. The  area  consisted  entirely  of  loose 
rough  stones,  and  there  are  no  remains  or  other  in- 
dications of  any  building.  The  great  structure 
seemed  raised  only  for  the  purpose  of  holding  aloft 
this  platform.  Probably  it  had  been  the  scene  of 
grand  religious  ceremonies,  and  stained  with  the 
blood  of  human  victims  offered  up  in  sight  of  the 
assembled  people.  Near  as  it  was,  it  was  the  first 
time  I had  ascended  this  mound.  It  commanded 
a full  view  of  every  building.  The  day  was  over- 
cast, the  wind  swept  mournfully  over  the  desolate 
city,  and  since  my  arrival  I had  not  felt  so  deeply 
the  solemnity  and  sublimity  of  these  mysterious 
ruins. 

Around  the  top  of  the  mound  was  a border  of 
sculptured  stone  ten  or  twelve  feet  high.  T he  prin- 
cipal ornament  was  the  Grecque,  and  in  following 
it  round,  and  clearing  away  the  trees  and  bushes, 
on  the  west  side,  opposite  the  courtyard  of  the  Casa 
de  Palomos,  my  attention  was  arrested  by  an  orna- 
ment, the  lower  part  of  which  was  buried  in  rub- 
bish fallen  from  above.  It  was  about  the  centre  of 


DIGGING  INTO  A MOUND. 


255 


this  side  of  the  mound,  and  from  its  position,  and 
the  character  of  the  ornament,  I was  immediately 
impressed  with  the  idea  that  it  was  over  a doorway, 
and  that  underneath  was  an  entrance  to  an  apart- 
ment in  the  mound.  The  Indians  had  cleared  be- 
yond it,  and  passed  on,  but  I called  them  back,  and 
set  them  to  excavating  the  earth  and  rubbish  that 
buried  the  lower  part  of  the  ornament.  It  was  an 
awkward  place  to  work  in : the  side  of  the  mound 
was  steep,  and  the  stones  composing  the  ornament 
were  insecure  and  tottering.  The  Indians,  as  usual, 
worked  as  if  they  had  their  lifetime  for  the  job. 
They  were  at  all  times  tedious  and  trying,  but  now, 
to  my  impatient  eagerness,  more  painfully  so  than 
ever.  Urging  them,  as  well  as  I could,  and  actu- 
ally making  them  comprehend  my  idea,  I got  them 
to  work  four  long  hours  without  any  intermis- 
sion, until  they  reached  the  cornice.  The  ornament 
proved  to  be  the  same  hideous  face,  with  the  teeth 
standing  out,  before  presented,  varying  somewhat  in 
detail,  and  upon  a grander  scale.  Throwing  up  the 
dirt  upon  the  other  side  of  them,  the  Indians  had 
made  a great  pile  outside,  and  stood  in  a deep  hole 
against  the  face  of  the  ornament.  At  this  depth 
the  stones  seemed  hanging  loosely  over  their  heads, 
and  the  Indians  intimated  that  it  was  dangerous  to 
continue  digging,  but  by  this  time  my  impatience 
was  beyond  control.  I had  from  time  to  time  as- 
sisted in  the  work,  and,  urging  them  to  continue,  I 
threw  myself  into  the  hole,  and  commenced  digging 


256 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


with  all  my  strength.  The  stones  went  rolling  and 
crashing  down  the  side  of  the  mound,  striking  against 
roots  and  tearing  off  branches.  The  perspiration 
rolled  from  me  in  a stream,  but  I was  so  completely 
carried  away  by  the  idea  that  had  taken  possession 
of  me,  so  sure  of  entering  some  chamber  that  had 
been  closed  for  ages,  that  I stopped  at  nothing ; and 
with  all  this  I considered  myself  cool  and  calm, 
and  with  great  method  resolved,  as  soon  as  I reached 
the  doorway,  to  stop  and  send  for  Mr.  Catherwood 
and  Doctor  Cabot,  that  we  might  all  enter  together, 
and  make  a formal  note  of  everything  exactly  as  it 
was  found  ; but  I was  doomed  to  a worse  disap- 
pointment than  at  El  Laberinto  de  Maxcanu.  Be- 
fore getting  below  the  cornice  I thrust  the  machete 
through  the  earth,  and  found  no  opening,  but  a sol- 
id stone  wall.  The  ground  of  my  hope  was  gone, 
but  still  I kept  the  Indians  digging,  unconsciously, 
and  without  any  object.  In  the  interest  of  the  mo- 
ment I was  not  aware  that  the  clouds  had  dis- 
appeared, and  that  I had  been  working  in  this  deep 
hole,  without  a breath  of  air,  under  the  full  blaze 
of  a vertical  sun.  The  disappointment  and  reaction 
after  the  high  excitement,  co-operating  with  the  fa- 
tigue and  heat,  prostrated  all  my  strength.  I felt 
a heaviness  and  depression,  and  was  actually  sick 
at  heart,  so  that,  calling  off  the  Indians,  I was  fain 
to  give  over  and  return  to  our  quarters.  In  de- 
scending the  mound  my  limbs  could  scarcely  sup- 
port me.  My  strength  and  elasticity  were  gone. 


THE  CURA  OF  TICUL. 


257 


With  great  difficulty  I dragged  myself  to  our  apart- 
ments. My  thirst  was  unquenchable.  I threw  my- 
self into  my  hammock,  and  in  a few  moments  a 
fiery  fever  was  upon  me.  Our  household  was 
thrown  into  consternation.  Disease  had  stalked  all 
around  us,  but  it  was  the  first  time  it  had  knocked 
at  our  door. 

On  the  third  day,  while  in  the  midst  of  a violent 
attack,  a gentleman  arrived  whose  visit  I had  expect- 
ed, and  had  looked  forward  to  with  great  interest. 
It  was  the  cura  Carillo  of  Ticul,  a vilDge  seven 
leagues  distant.  A week  after  our  arrival  at  the 
ruins,  the  mayoral  had  received  a letter  from  him, 
asking  whether  a visit  would  be  acceptable  to  us. 
We  had  heard  of  him  as  a person  who  took  more 
interest  in  the  antiquities  of  the  country  than  almost 
any  other,  and  who  possessed  more  knowledge  on 
the  subject.  He  had  been  in  the  habit  of  coming  to 
Uxmal  alone  to  wander  among  the  ruins,  and  we 
had  contemplated  an  excursion  to  Ticul  on  purpose 
to  make  his  acquaintance.  We  were,  therefore, 
most  happy  to  receive  his  overture,  and  advised  him 
that  we  should  anxiously  expect  his  visit.  His  first 
words  to  me  were,  that  it  was  necessary  for  me  to 
leave  the  place  and  go  with  him  to  Ticul.  I was 
extremely  reluctant  to  do  so,  but  it  was  considered 
advisable  by  all.  He  would  not  consent  to  my  go- 
ing alone,  or  with  his  servant,  and  the  next  morning, 
instead  of  a pleasant  visit  to  the  ruins,  he  found  him- 
self trotting  home  with  a sick  man  at  his  heels.  In 
Vol.  I. — K K 


258 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


consequence  of  some  misunderstanding,  no  coche 
was  in  readiness,  and  I set  out  on  horseback.  It 
was  my  interval  day,  and  at  the  moment  the  bare 
absence  of  pain  was  a positively  pleasant  sensation. 
In  this  humour,  in  the  beginning  of  our  ride,  I lis- 
tened with  much  interest  to  the  cura’s  exposition  of 
different  points  and  localities,  but  by  degrees  my  at- 
tention flagged,  and  finally  my  whole  soul  was  fixed 
on  the  sierra,  which  stood  out  before  us  at  a dis- 
tance of  two  leagues  from  San  Jose.  Twice  be- 
fore I had  crossed  that  sierra,  and  had  looked  upon 
it  almost  with  delight,  as  relieving  the  monotony  of 
constant  plains,  but  now  it  was  a horrible  prospect. 
My  pains  increased  as  we  advanced,  and  I dis- 
mounted at  the  hacienda  in  a state  impossible  to  be 
described.  The  mayoral  was  aw  ay,  the  doors  w^ere 
all  locked,  and  I lay  down  on  some  bags  in  the  cor- 
ridor. Rest  tranquillized  me.  There  wras  but  one 
Indian  to  be  found,  and  he  told  the  cura  that  there 
were  none  to  make  a coche.  Those  in  the  neigh- 
bourhood were  sick,  and  the  others  were  at  work 
more  than  a league  away.  It  was  impossible  to 
continue  on  horseback,  and,  fortunately,  the  may- 
oral  came,  who  changed  the  whole  face  of  things 
and  in  a few  minutes  had  men  engaged  in  making 
a coche.  The  cura  went  on  before  to  prepare  for 
my  reception.  In  an  hour  my  coche  was  ready, 
and  at  five  o’clock  I crawled  in.  My  carriers  were 
loth  to  start,  but,  once  under  way,  they  took  it  in 
good  part,  and  set  off  on  a trot.  Changing  shoul- 


VICTIMS  TO  FEVER. 


259 


ders  frequently,  they  never  stopped  till  they  carried 
me  into  Ticul,  three  leagues  or  nine  miles  distant, 
and  laid  me  down  on  the  floor  of  the  convent.  The 
cura  was  waiting  to  receive  me.  Albino  had  arrived 
with  my  catre,  which  was  already  set  up,  and  in  a 
few  minutes  I was  in  bed.  The  bells  were  ringing 
for  a village  fiesta,  rockets  and  fireworks  were  whiz- 
zing and  exploding,  and  from  a distance  the  shrill 
voice  of  a boy  screeching  out  the  numbers  of  the 
loteria  pierced  my  ears.  The  sounds  were  mur- 
derous, but  the  kindness  of  the  cura,  and  the  satis- 
faction of  being  away  from  an  infected  atmosphere, 
were  so  grateful  that  I fell  asleep. 

For  three  days  I did  not  leave  my  bed ; but  on  the 
fourth  I breathed  the  air  from  the  balcony  of  the 
convent.  It  was  fresh,  pure,  balmy,  and  invigo- 
rating. 

In  the  afternoon  of  the  next  day  I set  out  with 
the  cura  for  a stroll.  We  had  gone  but  a short  dis- 
tance, when  an  Indian  came  running  after  us  to  in- 
form us  that  another  of  the  caballeros  had  arrived 
sick  from  the  ruins.  We  hurried  back,  and  found 
Doctor  Cabot  lying  in  a coche  on  the  floor  of  the 
corridor  at  the  door  of  the  convent.  He  crawled 
out  labouring  under  a violent  fever,  increased  by  the 
motion  and  fatigue  of  his  ride,  and  I was  startled  by 
the  extraordinary  change  a few  days  had  made  in 
his  appearance.  His  face  was  flushed,  his  eyes  were 
wild,  his  figure  lank  ; and  he  had  not  strength  to 
support  himself,  but  pitched  against  me,  who  could 


260 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


barely  keep  myself  up,  and  both  nearly  came  down 
together.  He  had  been  attacked  the  day  after  I left, 
and  the  fever  had  been  upon  him,  with  but  little  in- 
termission, ever  since.  All  night,  and  all  the  two 
ensuing  days,  it  continued  rising  and  decreasing,  but 
never  leaving  him.  It  was  attended  with  constant 
restlessness  and  delirium,  so  that  he  was  hardly  in 
bed  before  he  was  up  again,  pitching  about  the 
room. 

The  next  day  Mr.  Catherwood  forwarded  Albi- 
no, who,  with  two  attacks,  was  shaken  and  sweated 
into  a dingy-looking  white  man.  Mr.  Catherwood 
wrote  that  he  was  entirely  alone  at  the  ruins,  and 
should  hold  out  as  long  as  he  could  against  fever 
and  ghosts,  but  with  the  first  attack  should  come  up 
and  join  us. 

Our  situation  and  prospects  were  now  gloomy. 
If  Mr.  Catherwood  was  taken  ill,  work  was  at  an 
end,  and  perhaps  the  whole  object  of  our  expedition 
frustrated ; but  the  poor  cura  was  more  to  be  pitied 
than  any  of  us.  His  unlucky  visit  to  Uxmal  had 
brought  upon  him  three  infermos,  with  the  prospect 
every  day  of  a fourth.  His  convent  was  turned  into 
a hospital ; but  the  more  claims  we  made  upon  him, 
the  more  he  exerted  himself  to  serve  us.  I could 
not  but  smile,  when  speaking  to  Doctor  Cabot  of  his 
kindness,  as  the  latter,  rolling  and  tossing  with  fe- 
ver, replied,  that  if  the  cura  had  any  squint-eyed 
friends,  lie,  could  cure  them. 

The  cura  watched  the  doctor  carefully,  but  with- 


A SIMPLE  REMEDY  FOR  FEVER.  261 

out  venturing  to  offer  advice  to  a medico  who  could 
cure  biscos,  but  the  third  day  be  alarmed  me  by  the 
remark  that  the  expression  of  the  doctor’s  face  was 
fatal.  In  Spanish  this  only  means  very  bad,  but  it 
had  always  in  my  ears  an  uncomfortable  sound. 
The  cura  added  that  there  were  certain  indices  of 
this  disease  which  were  mortal,  but,  happily,  these 
had  not  yet  exhibited  themselves  in  the  doctor. 
The  bare  suggestion,  however,  alarmed  me.  I in- 
quired of  the  cura  about  the  mode  of  treatment  in 
the  country,  and  whether  he  could  not  prescribe  for 
him.  Doctor  Cabot  had  never  seen  anything  of  this 
disease,  particularly  as  affected  by  climate.  Besides, 
he  was  hors  dc  combat  on  account  of  the  absence 
of  our  medicine-chest,  and  in  such  constant  pain 
and  delirium  that  he  was  in  no  condition  to  pre- 
scribe for  himself. 

The  cura  was  the  temporal  as  well  as  spiritual 
physician  of  the  village ; there  were  daily  applica- 
tions to  him  for  medicine,  and  he  was  constantly  vis- 
iting the  sick.  Doctor  Cabot  was  willing  to  put 
himself  entirely  into  his  hands,  and  he  administered 
a preparation  which  I mention  for  the  benefit  of  fu- 
ture travellers  who  may  be  caught  without  a med- 
icine-chest. It  was  a simple  decoction  of  the  rind 
of  the  sour  orange  flavoured  with  cinnamon  and 
lemon-juice,  of  which  he  administered  a tumbler- 
ful warm  every  two  hours.  At  the  second  draught 
the  doctor  was  thrown  into  a profuse  perspiration. 
For  the  first  time  since  his  attack  the  fever  left  him, 


262 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


and  he  had  an  unbroken  sleep.  On  waking,  copi- 
ous draughts  of  tamarind  water  were  given ; when 
the  fever  came  on  again  the  decoction  was  repeated, 
with  tamarind  water  in  the  intervals.  The  effect 
of  this  treatment  was  particularly  happy,  and  it  is 
desirable  for  strangers  to  know  it,  for  the  sour  or- 
ange is  found  in  every  part  of  the  country,  and  from 
what  we  saw  of  it  then  and  afterward,  it  is,  per- 
haps, a better  remedy  for  fever  in  that  climate  than 
any  known  in  foreign  pharmacy. 

The  village  of  Ticul,  to  which  we  were  thus  ac- 
cidentally driven,  was  worthy  of  the  visit,  once  in 
his  life,  of  a citizen  of  New- York.  The  first  time 
I looked  upon  it  from  the  balcony  of  the  convent,  it 
struck  me  as  the  perfect  picture  of  stillness  and  re- 
pose. The  plaza  was  overgrown  with  grass  ; a few 
mules,  with  their  fore  feet  hoppled,  were  pasturing 
upon  it,  and  at  long  intervals  a single  horseman 
crossed  it.  The  balcony  of  the  convent  was  on 
a level  with  the  tops  of  the  houses,  and  the  view 
was  of  a great  plain,  with  houses  of  one  story,  flat 
roofs,  high  garden  walls,  above  which  orange,  lemon, 
and  plantain  trees  were  growing,  and,  after  the  loud 
ringing  of  the  matin  and  vesper  bell  was  over,  the 
only  noise  was  the  singing  of  birds.  All  business 
or  visiting  was  done  early  in  the  morning  or  toward 
evening ; and  through  the  rest  of  the  day,  during  the 
heat,  the  inhabitants  were  within  doors,  and  it  might 
almost  have  passed  for  a deserted  village. 

Like  all  the  Spanish  villages,  it  was  laid  out  with 


VILLAGE  OF  TICUL. 


263 


its  plaza  and  streets  running  at  right  angles,  and  was 
distinguished  among  the  villages  of  Yucatan  for  its 
casas  de  piedra,  or  stone  houses.  These  were  on 
the  plaza  and  streets  adjoining ; and  back,  extending 
more  than  a mile  each  way,  were  the  huts  of  the 
Indians.  These  huts  were  generally  plastered,  en- 
closed by  stone  fences,  and  imbowered  among  trees, 
or,  rather,  overgrown  and  concealed  by  weeds.  The 
population  was  about  five  thousand,  of  which  about 
three  hundred  families  were  vecinos,  or  white  peo- 
ple, and  the  rest  Indians.  Fresh  meat  can  be  pro- 
cured every  day ; the  tienda  grande,  or  large  store 
of  Guzman,  would  not  disgrace  Merida.  The 
bread  is  better  than  at  the  capital.  Altogether,  for 
appearance,  society,  and  conveniences  of  living,  it 
is  perhaps  the  best  village  in  Yucatan,  and  famous 
for  its  bull-fights  and  the  beauty  of  its  Mestiza 
women. 

The  church  and  convent  occupy  the  whole  of 
one  side  of  the  plaza.  Both  were  built  by  the 
Franciscan  monks,  and  they  are  among  the  grandest 
of  those  gigantic  buildings  with  which  that  powerful 
order  marked  its  entrance  into  the  country.  They 
stand  on  a stone  platform  about  four  feet  high  and 
several  hundred  feet  in  front.  The  church  was 
large  and  sombre,  and  adorned  with  rude  monu- 
ments and  figures  calculated  to  inspire  the  Indians 
with  reverence  and  awe.  In  one  place,  in  a niche 
in  the  wall,  was  a funeral  urn,  painted  black,  with  a 
white  streak  around  the  top,  which  contains  the 


264 


INCIDENTS  OF 


TRAVEL. 


ashes  of  a lady  of  the  village.  Under  it  was  a mon- 
ument with  this  inscription : 

i Hombres ! 

He  aqui  el  termino  de  nuestros  afanes  ; 

La  muerte,  tierra,  nada. 


En  esta  urna  reposan  los  restos  de  Dna  Loretta  Lara, 
Muger  caritativa,  y esposa  fiel,  madre  tierna, 
prudente  y virtuosa. 


i Mortales ! 

A1  Senor  dirigamos  por  ella  nuestras  preces. 
Fallecio 

El  29  de  Novembre  del  ano  1830,  a los  44  de  su  edad. 


; O Man ! 

Behold  the  end  of  our  troubles — 
Death,  Earth,  Nothing. 


In  this  urn  repose  the  remains  of  Dna  Loretta  Lara, 
A charitable  woman,  faithful  wife,  and  tender  mother, 
prudent  and  virtuous. 


i Mortals ! 

To  the  Lord  let  us  direct  our  prayers  for  her. 

She  died 

The  29th  of  November,  in  the  year  1830,  aged  44. 

One  of  the  altars  was  decorated  with  human 
skulls  and  cross-bones,  and  in  the  rear  of  the  church 
was  a great  charnel-house.  It  was  enclosed  by  a 
high  stone  wall,  and  was  filled  with  a collection  of 
skulls  and  bones,  which,  after  the  flesh  had  decayed, 
had  been  dug  up  from  the  graves  in  the  cemetery  of 
the  church. 


THE  CONVENT. 


265 


The  convent  is  connected  with  the  church  by  a 
spacious  corridor.  It  is  a gigantic  structure,  built 
entirely  of  stone,  with  massive  walls,  and  four  hun- 
dred feet  in  length.  The  entrance  is  under  a no- 
ble portico,  with  high  stone  pillars,  from  which  as- 
cends a broad  stone  staircase  to  a spacious  cor- 
ridor twenty  feet  wide.  This  corridor  runs  through 
the  whole  length  of  the  building,  with  a stone  pave- 
ment, and  is  lighted  in  two  places  by  a dome.  On 
each  side  are  cloisters,  once  occupied  by  a numerous 
body  of  Franciscan  friars.  The  first  two  and  prin- 
cipal of  these  cloisters  on  the  left  are  occupied  by 
the  cura,  and  were  our  home.  Another  is  occupied 
by  one  of  his  ministros,  and  in  the  fourth  was  an  old 
Indian  making  cigars.  The  rest  on  this  side  are 
unoccupied,  and  on  the  right,  facing  the  great  gar- 
den of  the  convent,  all  the  cloisters  are  untenanted, 
dismantled,  and  desolate  ; the  doors  and  windows 
are  broken,  and  grass  and  weeds  are  growing  out  of 
the  floors.  The  garden  had  once  been  in  harmony 
with  the  grandeur  and  style  of  the  convent,  and  now 
shares  its  fortunes.  Its  wells  and  fountains,  parterres 
and  beds  of  flowers,  are  all  there,  but  neglected  and 
running  to  waste,  weeds,  oranges,  and  lemons  grow- 
ing wildly  together,  and  our  horses  were  turned  into 
it  loose,  as  into  a pasture. 

Associated  in  my  mind  with  this  ruined  convent, 
so  as  almost  to  form  part  of  the  building,  is  our  host, 
the  pride  and  love  of  the  village,  the  cura  Carillo. 
He  was  past  forty,  tall  and  thin,  with  an  open,  ani- 

Vol.  I. — L l 23 


266 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


mated,  and  intelligent  countenance,  manly,  and  at  the 
same  time  mild,  and  belonged  to  the  once  powerful 
order  of  Franciscan  friars,  now  reduced  in  this  re- 
gion to  himself  and  a few  companions.  After  the 
destruction  of  the  convent  at  Merida,  and  the  scat- 
tering of  the  friars,  his  friends  procured  for  him  the 
necessary  papers  to  enable  him  to  secularize,  but  he 
would  not  abandon  the  brotherhood  in  its  waning 
fortunes,  and  still  wore  the  long  blue  gown,  the  cord, 
and  cross  of  the  Franciscan  monks.  By  the  regu- 
lations of  his  order,  all  the  receipts  of  his  curacy  be- 
longed to  the  brotherhood,  deducting  only  forty  dol- 
lars per  month  for  himself.  With  this  pittance,  he 
could  live  and  extend  hospitality  to  strangers.  His 
friends  urged  him  to  secularize,  engaging  to  procure 
for  him  a better  curacy,  but  he  steadily  refused ; he 
never  expected  to  be  rich,  and  did  not  wish  to  be ; 
he  had  enough  for  his  wants,  and  did  not  desire 
more.  He  was  content  with  his  village  and  with 
the  people ; he  was  the  friend  of  everybody,  and 
everybody  was  his  friend ; in  short,  for  a man  not 
indolent,  but,  on  the  contrary,  unusually  active  both 
in  mind  and  body,  he  was,  without  affectation  or 
parade,  more  entirely  contented  with  his  lot  than 
any  man  I ever  knew.  The  quiet  and  seclusion  of 
his  village  did  not  afford  sufficient  employment  for  his 
active  mind,  but,  fortunately  for  science  and  for  me, 
and  strangely  enough  as  it  was  considered,  he  had 
turned  his  attention  to  the  antiquities  of  the  country. 
He  could  neither  go  far  from  home,  nor  be  absent 


TIME  OF  CONSTRUCTION  UNKNOWN.  267 

long,  but  he  had  visited  every  place  within  his  reach, 
and  was  literally  an  enthusiast  in  the  pursuit.  His 
friends  smiled  at  this  folly,  but,  in  consideration  of 
his  many  good  qualities,  excused  it.  There  was  no 
man  in  the  country  whom  we  were  so  well  pleased 
to  meet,  and  as  it  was  a rare  thing  for  him  to  asso- 
ciate with  persons  who  took  the  slightest  interest  in 
his  hobby,  he  mourned  that  he  could  not  throw  up 
all  his  business  and  accompany  us  in  our  explora- 
tion of  the  ruins. 

It  is  worthy  of  remark,  that  even  to  a man  so 
alive  to  all  subjects  of  antiquarian  interest,  the  his- 
tory of  the  building  of  this  convent  is  entirely  un- 
known. In  the  pavement  of  the  great  corridor,  in 
the  galleries,  walls,  and  roof,  both  of  the  church  and 
convent,  are  stones  from  ancient  buildings,  and  no 
doubt  both  were  constructed  with  materials  furnish- 
ed by  the  ruined  edifices  of  another  race,  but  when, 
or  how,  or  under  what  circumstances,  is  unknown. 
On  the  roof  the  cura  had  discovered,  in  a situation 
which  would  hardly  have  attracted  any  eyes  but  his 
own,  a square  stone,  having  roughly  engraved  on  it 
this  inscription  : 

26 

Marzo, 

1625. 

Perhaps  this  had  reference  to  the  date  of  the  con- 
struction, and  if  so,  it  is  the  only  known  record  that 
exists  in  relation  to  it ; and  the  thought  almost  una- 
voidably occurs,  that  where  such  obscurity  exists  in 


268 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


regard  to  a building  constructed  by  the  Spaniards 
but  little  more  than  two  hundred  years  ago,  how 
much  darker  must  be  the  cloud  that  hangs  over  the 
ruined  cities  of  the  aborigines,  erected,  if  not  ruined, 
before  the  conquest. 

During  the  first  days  of  my  convalescence  I had 
a quiet  and  almost  mournful  interest  in  wandering 
about  this  venerable  convent.  I passed,  too,  some 
interesting  hours  in  looking  over  the  archives.  The 
books  had  a time-worn  aspect,  with  parchment  cov- 
ers, tattered  and  worm-eaten.  In  some  places  the 
ink  had  faded,  and  the  writing  was  illegible.  They 
were  the  records  of  the  early  monks,  written  by  their 
own  hands,  and  contained  a register  of  baptisms  and 
marriages,  including,  perhaps,  the  first  Indian  who 
assented  to  these  Christian  rites.  It  was  my  hope 
to  find  in  these  archives  some  notice,  however  slight, 
of  the  circumstances  under  which  the  early  fathers 
set  up  the  standard  of  the  cross  in  this  Indian  town, 
but  the  first  book  has  no  preamble  or  introduction 
of  any  kind,  commencing  abruptly  with  the  entry  of 
a marriage. 

This  entry  bears  date  in  1588,  but  forty  or  fifty 
years  after  the  Spaniards  established  themselves  in 
Merida.  This  is  thirty-eight  years  anterior  to  the 
date  on  the  stone  before  referred  to,  but  it  is  reasona- 
ble to  suppose  that  the  convent  was  not  built  until 
some  time  after  the  beginning  of  the  archives.  The 
monks  doubtless  commenced  keeping  a register  ot 
baptisms  and  marriages  as  soon  as  there  were  any  to 


RECORD  OF  MARRIAGES. 


269 


record,  but  as  they  were  distinguished  for  policy  and 
prudence  as  well  as  zeal,  it  is  not  likely  that  they  un- 
dertook the  erection  of  this  gigantic  building  until 
they  had  been  settled  in  the  country  long  enough  to 
understand  thoroughly  its  population  and  resources, 
for  these  buildings  had  not  only  to  be  erected,  but 
to  be  kept  up,  and  their  ministers  supported  by  the 
resources  of  the  district.  Besides,  the  great  church- 
es and  convents  found  in  all  parts  of  Spanish  Amer- 
ica were  not  built  by  means  of  funds  sent  from  Spain, 
but  by  the  labour  of  the  Indians  themselves,  after 
they  were  completely  subdued  and  compelled  to 
work  for  the  Spaniards,  or,  more  generally,  after 
they  had  embraced  Christianity,  when  they  volunta- 
rily erected  buildings  for  the  new  worship  and  its 
ministers.  It  is  not  probable  that  either  of  these 
events  occurred  in  this  interior  village  so  early  as 
15S8. 

These  first  entries  are  of  the  marriage,  or  rather 
marriages,  of  two  widowers  and  two  widows — X. 
Diego  Chuc  with  Maria  Hu,  and  Zpo-Bot  with 
Cata  Keul.  In  running  over  the  archives,  it  ap- 
peared, I found,  that  there  was  in  those  days  an 
unusual  number  of  widowers  and  widow's  disposed 
to  marry  again,  and,  in  fact,  that  the  business  of 
this  kind  was  in  a great  measure  confined  to  them : 
but  probably,  as  the  relation  of  husband  and  wife 
was  not  very  clearly  defined  among  the  Indians, 
these  candidates  for  Christian  matrimony  had  only 
parted  from  former  companions,  and,  through  the 


270 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


charity  or  modesty  of  the  monks,  were  called  wid- 
owers and  widows. 

The  first  baptisms  are  on  the  twentieth  of  No- 
vember, 1594,  when  considerable  business  seems  to 
have  been  done.  There  are  four  entries  on  that 
day,  and,  in  looking  over  the  pages,  from  my  ac- 
quaintance with  the  family  I was  struck  with  the 
name  of  Mel  Chi,  probably  an  ancestor  of  our 
Chaipa  Chi.  This  Mel  seems  to  have  been  one  of 
the  pillars  of  the  padres,  and  a standing  godfather 
for  Indian  babies. 

There  was  no  instruction  to  be  derived  from 
these  archives,  but  the  handwriting  of  the  monks, 
and  the  marks  of  the  Indians,  seemed  almost  to 
make  me  a participator  in  the  wild  and  romantic 
scenes  of  the  conquest ; at  all  events,  they  were 
proof  that,  forty  or  fifty  years  after  the  conquest, 
the  Indians  were  abandoning  their  ancient  usages 
and  customs,  adopting  the  rites  and  ceremonies  of 
the  Catholic  Church,  and  having  their  children 
baptized  with  Spanish  names. 


another  ruined  city. 


271 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

Another  ruined  City. — Relics. — Ruins  of  San  Francisco. — Proved 
to  be  those  of  the  Aboriginal  City  of  the  name  Ticul. — A beau- 
tiful Yase. — Search  for  a Sepulchre. — Discovery  of  a Skeleton 
and  Vase. — An  Indian  Needle. — These  Cities  not  built  by  De- 
scendants of  Egyptians. — Their  Antiquity  not  very  great. — Ex- 
amination of  the  Skeleton  by  Doctor  Morton,  and  his  Opinion. 
— Mummies  from  Peru. — These  Cities  built  by  the  Ancestors 
of  the  present  Race  of  Indians. — The  Seybo  Tree. — The  Campo 
Santo. — A quiet  Village. 

It  was  fortunate  for  the  particular  objects  of  our 
expedition  that,  go  where  we  would  in  this  country, 
the  monuments  of  its  ancient  inhabitants  were  be- 
fore our  eyes.  Near  the  village  of  Ticul,  almost  in 
the  suburbs,  are  the  ruins  of  another  ancient  and 
unknown  city.  From  the  time  of  our  arrival  the 
memorials  of  it  had  been  staring  us  in  the  face. 
The  cura  had  some  sculptured  stones  of  new  and 
exceedingly  pretty  design ; and  heads,  vases,  and 
other  relics,  found  in  excavating  the  ruins,  were 
fixed  in  the  fronts  of  houses  as  ornaments.  My  first 
stroll  with  the  cura  was  to  these  ruins. 

At  the  end  of  a long  street  leading  out  beyond 
the  campo  santo  we  turned  to  the  right  by  a nar- 
row path,  overgrown  with  bushes  covered  with  wild 
flowers,  and  on  which  birds  of  beautiful  plumage 


272 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


were  sitting,  but  so  infested  with  garrapatas  that  we 
had  to  keep  brushing  them  off  continually  with  the 
bough  of  a tree. 

This  path  led  us  to  the  hacienda  of  San  Fran- 
cisco, the  property  of  a gentleman  of  the  village, 
who  had  reared  the  walls  of  a large  building,  but 
had  never  finished  it.  There  were  fine  shade  trees, 
and  the  appearance  of  the  place  was  rural  and  pic- 
turesque, but  it  was  unhealthy.  The  deep  green 
foliage  was  impregnated  with  the  seeds  of  death. 
The  proprietor  never  visited  it  except  in  the  day- 
time, and  the  Indians  who  worked  on  the  milpas 
returned  to  the  village  at  night. 

A short  distance  in  the  rear  of  the  hacienda  were 
the  ruins  of  another  city,  desolate  and  overgrown, 
having  no  name  except  that  of  the  hacienda  on 
which  they  stand.  At  this  time  a great  part  of  the 
city  was  completely  hidden  by  the  thick  foliage  of 
the  trees.  Near  by,  however,  several  mounds  were 
in  full  sight,  dilapidated,  and  having  fragments  of 
walls  on  the  top.  We  ascended  the  highest,  which 
commanded  a magnificent  view  of  the  great  wood- 
ed plain,  and  at  a distance  the  towers  of  the  church 
of  Ticul  rising  darkly  above.  The  cura  told  me 
that  in  the  dry  season,  when  the  trees  were  bare  of 
foliage,  he  had  counted  from  this  point  thirty-six 
mounds,  every  one  of  which  had  once  held  aloft  a 
building  or  temple,  and  not  one  now  remained  en- 
tire. In  the  great  waste  of  ruins  it  wras  impossible 
to  form  any  idea  of  what  the  place  had  been,  ex- 


RUINS  OF  SAN  FRANCISCO.  273 

cept  from  its  vastness  and  the  specimens  of  sculp- 
tured stone  seen  in  the  village,  but  beyond  doubt  it 
was  of  the  same  character  as  Uxmal,  and  erected  by 
the  same  people.  Its  vicinity  to  the  village  had  made 
its  destruction  more  complete.  For  generations  it 
had  served  as  a mere  quarry  to  furnish  the  inhabi- 
tants with  building-stone.  The  present  proprietor 
was  then  excavating  and  selling,  and  he  lamented 
to  me  that  the  piedra  labrada,  or  worked  stone,  was 
nearly  exhausted,  and  his  profit  from  this  source 
cut  oft'. 

A few  words  toward  identifying  these  ruins. 
The  plan  for  reducing  Yucatan  was  to  send  a 
small  number  of  Spaniards,  who  were  called  veci- 
nos  (the  name  still  used  to  designate  the  white  pop- 
ulation), into  the  Indian  towns  and  villages  where  it 
was  thought  advisable  to  make  settlements.  We 
have  clear  and  authentic  accounts  of  the  existence 
of  a large  Indian  town  called  Ticul,  certainly  in 
the  same  neighbourhood  where  the  Spanish  village 
of  that  name  now  stands.  It  must  have  been  either 
on  the  site  now  occupied  by  the  latter,  or  on  that 
occupied  by  the  ruins  of  San  Francisco.  Suppo- 
sing the  first  supposition  to  be  correct,  not  a single 
vestige  of  the  Indian  city  remains.  Now  it  is  in- 
contestible  that  the  Spaniards  found  in  the  Indian 
towns  of  Yucatan,  mounds,  temples,  and  other  large 
buildings  of  stone.  If  those  on  the  hacienda  of 
San  Francisco  are  of  older  date,  and  the  work  of 
races  who  have  passed  away,  as  vast  remains  of 

Vol.  I. — M M 


274 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


them  still  exist,  though  subject  to  the  same  destroy- 
ing causes,  why  has  every  trace  of  the  stone  build- 
ings in  the  Indian  city  disappeared  I 

And  it  appears  in  every  page  of  the  history  of 
the  Spanish  conquest,  that  the  Spaniards  never  at- 
tempted to  occupy  the  houses  and  villages  of  the 
Indians  as  they  stood.  Their  habits  of  life  were 
inconsistent  with  such  occupation,  and,  besides,  their 
policy  was  to  desolate  and  destroy  them,  and  build 
up  others  after  their  own  style  and  manner.  It  is 
not  likely  that  at  the  early  epoch  at  which  they  are 
known  to  have  gone  to  Ticul,  with  their  small  num- 
bers, they  would  have  undertaken  to  demolish  the 
whole  Indian  town,  and  build  their  own  upon  its 
ruins.  The  probability  is,  that  they  planted  their 
own  village  on  the  border,  and  erected  their  church 
as  an  antagonist  and  rival  to  the  heathen  temples ; 
the  monks,  with  all  the  imposing  ceremonies  of  the 
Catholic  Church,  battled  with  the  Indian  priests ; 
and,  gradually  overthrowing  the  power  of  the  ca- 
ciques, or  putting  them  to  death,  they  depopulated 
the  old  town,  and  drew  the  Indians  to  their  own 
village.  It  is  my  belief  that  the  ruins  on  the  haci- 
enda of  San  Francisco  are  those  of  the  aboriginal 
city  of  Ticul. 

From  the  great  destruction  of  the  buildings,  I 
thought  it  unprofitable  to  attempt  any  explora- 
tion of  these  ruins,  especially  considering  the  insalu- 
brity of  the  place  and  our  own  crippled  state.  In 
the  excavations  constantly  going  on,  objects  ol 


A BEAUTIFUL  VASE. 


275 


interest  were  from  time  to  time  discovered,  one  of 
which,  a vase,  was  fortunately  only  loaned  to  us 
to  make  a drawing  of,  or  it  would  have  shared  the 
fate  of  the  others,  and  been  burned  up  by  that 
fire.  The  engraving  below  represents  two  sides  of 


the  vase ; on  one  side  is  a border  of  hieroglyphics, 
with  sunken  lines  running  to  the  bottom,  and  on 
the  other  the  reader  will  observe  that  the  face  por- 
trayed bears  a strong  resemblance  to  those  of  the 
sculptured  and  stuccoed  figures  at  Palenque : the 
headdress,  too,  is  a plume  of  feathers,  and  the  hand 


276 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


is  held  out  in  the  same  stiff  position.  The  vase  is 
four  and  a half  inches  high,  and  five  inches  in  di- 
ameter. It  is  of  admirable  workmanship,  and  real- 
izes the  account  given  by  Herrera  of  the  markets 
at  the  Mexican  city  of  Tlascala.  “ There  were 
goldsmiths,  feather-men,  barbers,  baths,  and  as  good 
earthenware  as  in  Spain” 

It  was  not  yet  considered  safe  for  me  to  return  to 
Uxmal,  and  the  sight  of  these  vases  induced  me  to 
devote  a few  days  to  excavating  among  the  ruins. 
The  cura  took  upon  himself  the  whole  burden  of 
making  arrangements,  and  early  in  the  morning 
we  were  on  the  ground  with  Indians.  Amid  the 
great  waste  of  ruins  it  was  difficult  to  know  what 
to  do  or  where  to  begin.  In  Egypt,  the  labours 
of  discoverers  have  given  some  light  to  subse- 
quent explorers,  but  here  all  was  dark.  My  great 
desire  was  to  discover  an  ancient  sepulchre,  which 
we  had  sought  in  vain  among  the  ruins  of  Uxmal. 
These  were  not  to  be  looked  for  in  the  large  mounds, 
or,  at  all  events,  it  was  a work  of  too  much  labour 
to  attempt  opening  one  of  them.  At  length,  after  a 
careful  examination,  the  cura  selected  one,  upon 
which  we  began. 

It  was  a square  stone  structure,  with  sides  four 
feet  high,  and  the  top  was  rounded  over  with  earth 
and  stones  bedded  in  it.  It  stood  in  a small  milpa, 
or  corn-field,  midway  between  two  high  mounds, 
which  had  evidently  been  important  structures,  and 
from  its  position  seemed  to  have  some  direct  con- 


SEARCH  FOR  A SEPULCHRE. 


277 


nexion  with  them.  Unlike  most  of  the  ruined  struc- 
tures around,  it  was  entire,  with  every  stone  in  its 
place,  and  probably  had  not  been  disturbed  since 
the  earth  and  stones  had  been  packed  down  on 
the  top. 

The  Indians  commenced  picking  out  the  stones 
and  clearing  away  the  earth  with  their  hands.  For- 
tunately, they  had  a crowbar,  an  instrument  un- 
known in  Central  America,  but  indispensable  here 
on  account  of  the  stony  nature  of  the  soil,  and  lor 
the  first  and  only  time  in  the  country  I had  no 
trouble  in  superintending  the  work.  The  cura  gave 
them  directions  in  their  own  language,  and  under 
his  eye  they  worked  actively.  Nevertheless,  the 
process  was  unavoidably  slow.  In  digging  down, 
they  found  the  inner  side  of  the  outer  wall,  and  the 
whole  interior  was  loose  earth  and  stones,  with 
some  layers  of  large  flat  stones,  the  whole  very 
rough.  In  the  mean  time  the  sun  was  beating  upon 
us  with  prodigious  force,  and  some  of  the  people  of 
the  village,  among  others  the  proprietor  of  the  ha- 
cienda, came  down  to  look  on  and  have  an  inward 
smile  at  our  folly.  The  cura  had  read  a Spanish 
translation  of  the  Antiquary,  and  said  that  we  were 
surrounded  by  Edie  Ochiltrees,  though  he  himself, 
with  his  tall,  thin  figure  and  long  gown,  presented 
a lively  image  of  that  renowned  mendicant.  We 
continued  the  work  six  hours,  and  the  whole  ap- 
pearance of  things  was  so  rude  that  we  began  to 
despair  of  success,  when,  on  prying  up  a large  flat 

24 


278 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


stone,  we  saw  underneath  a skull.  The  reader  may 
imagine  our  satisfaction.  We  made  the  Indians 
throw  away  crowbar  and  machete,  and  work  with 
their  hands.  I was  exceedingly  anxious  to  get  the 
skeleton  out  entire,  but  it  was  impossible  to  do  so. 
It  had  no  covering  or  envelope  of  any  .kind ; the 
earth  was  thrown  upon  it  as  in  a common  grave, 
and  as  this  was  removed  it  all  fell  to  pieces.  It  was 
in  a sitting  posture,  with  its  face  toward  the  setting 
sun.  The  knees  were  bent  against  the  stomach,  the 
arms  doubled  from  the  elbow,  and  the  hands  clasp- 
ing the  neck  or  supporting  the  head.  The  skull 
was  unfortunately  broken,  but  the  facial  bone  was  en- 
tire, with  the  jaws  and  teeth,  and  the  enamel  on  the 
latter  still  bright,  but  when  the  skull  was  handed  up 
many  of  them  fell  out.  The  Indians  picked  up  ev- 
ery bone  and  tooth,  and  handed  them  to  me.  It 
was  strangely  interesting,  with  the  ruined  structures 
towering  around  us,  after  a lapse  of  unknown  ages, 
to  bring  to  light  these  buried  bones.  Whose  were 
they  ? The  Indians  were  excited,  and  conversed 
in  low  tones.  The  cura  interpreted  what  they 
said;  and  the  burden  of  it  was,  “They  are  the 
bones  of  our  kinsman,”  and  “What  will  our  kins- 
man say  at  our  dragging  forth  his  bones  V’  But  for 
the  cura  they  would  have  covered  them  up  and  left 
the  sepulchre. 

In  collecting  the  bones,  one  of  the  Indians  picked 
up  a small  white  object,  which  would  have  escaped 
any  but  ail  Indian’s  eye.  It  was  made  of  deer’s 


DISCOVERY  OF  A SKELETON  AND  VASE.  279 

horn,  about  two  inches  long,  sharp  at  the  point,  with 
an  eye  at  the  other  end.  They  all  called  it  a nee- 
dle, and  the  reason  of  their  immediate  and  unhesi- 
tating opinion  was  the  fact  that  the  Indians  of  the 
present  day  use  needles  of  the  same  material,  two 
of  which  the  cura  procured  for  me  on  our  return  to 
the  convent.  One  of  the  Indians,  who  had  acquired 
some  confidence  by  gossiping  with  the  cura,  jocosely 
said  that  the  skeleton  was  either  that  of  a woman 
or  a tailor. 

The  position  of  this  skeleton  was  not  in  the  cen- 
tre of  the  sepulchre,  but  on  one  side,  and  on  the  oth- 
er side  of  it  was  a very  large  rough  stone  or  rock 
firmly  imbedded  in  the  earth,  which  it  would  have 
taken  a long  time  to  excavate  with  our  instruments. 
In  digging  round  it  and  on  the  other  side,  at  some 
little  distance  from  the  skeleton  we  found  a large 
vase  of  rude  pottery,  resembling  very  much  the  can- 
taro  used  by  the  Indians  now  as  a water-jar.  It  had 
a rough  flat  stone  lying  over  the  mouth,  so  as  to  ex- 
clude the  earth,  on  removing  which  we  found,  to 
our  great  disappointment,  that  it  was  entirely  empty, 
except  some  little  hard  black  flakes,  which  were 
thrown  out  and  buried  before  the  vase  was  taken 
up.  It  had  a small  hole  worn  in  one  side  of  the  bot- 
tom, through  which  liquid  or  pulverized  substances 
could  have  escaped.  It  may  have  contained  water 
or  the  heart  of  the  skeleton.  This  vase  was  got 
out  entire,  and  is  now  ashes. 

One  idea  presented  itself  to  my  mind  with  more 


280 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


force  than  it  had  ever  possessed  before,  and  that 
was  the  utter  impossibility  of  ascribing  these  ruins 
to  Egyptian  builders.  The  magnificent  tombs  of 
the  kings  at  Thebes  rose  up  before  me.  It  was  on 
their  tombs  that  the  Egyptians  lavished  their  skill, 
industry,  and  wealth,  and  no  people,  brought  up  in 
Egyptian  schools,  descended  from  Egyptians,  or  de- 
riving their  lessons  from  them,  would  ever  have  con- 
structed in  so  conspicuous  a place  so  rude  a sepulchre. 
Besides  this,  the  fact  of  finding  these  bones  in  so 
good  a state  of  preservation,  at  a distance  of  only 
three  or  four  feet  from  the  surface  of  the  earth,  com- 
pletely destroys  all  idea  of  the  extreme  antiquity  of 
these  buildings ; and  again  there  was  the  universal 
cind  unhesitating  exclamation  of  the  Indians,  “ They 
are  the  bones  of  our  kinsman.” 

But  whosesoever  they  were,  little  did  the  pious 
friends  who  placed  them  there  ever  imagine  the  fate 
to  which  they  were  destined.  I had  them  carried 
to  the  convent,  thence  to  Uxmal,  and  thence  I bore 
them  away  forever  from  the  bones  of  their  kindred. 
In  their  rough  journeys  on  the  backs  of  mules  and 
Indians  they  were  so  crumbled  and  broken  that  in 
a court  of  law  their  ancient  proprietor  would  not  be 
able  to  identify  them,  and  they  left  me  one  jnight  in 
a pocket-handkerchief  to  be  carried  to  Doctor  S.  G. 
Morton  of  Philadelphia. 

Known  by  the  research  he  has  bestowed  upon 
the  physical  features  of  the  aboriginal  American 
races,  and  particularly  by  his  late  work  entitled  “ Cra- 


OPINION  OF  DR.  MORTON. 


281 


nia  Americana,”  which  is  acknowledged,  in  the  an- 
nual address  of  the  president  of  the  Royal  Geo- 
graphical Society  of  London,  as  “ a welcome  offer- 
ing to  the  lovers  of  comparative  physiology,”  this 
gentleman,  in  a communication  on  that  subject,  for 
which  I here  acknowledge  my  obligations,  says  that 
this  skeleton,  dilapidated  as  it  is,  has  afforded  him 
some  valuable  facts,  and  has  been  a subject  of  some 
interesting  reflections. 

The  purport  of  his  opinion  is  as  follows  : In  the 
first  place,  the  needle  did  not  deceive  the  Indian 
who  picked  it  up  in  the  grave.  The  bones  are 
those  of  a female.  Her  height  did  not  exceed  five 
feet  three  or  four  inches.  The  teeth  are  perfect, 
and  not  appreciably  worn,  while  the  epiphyses , 
those  infallible  indications  of  the  growing  state, 
have  just  become  consolidated,  and  mark  the  com- 
pletion of  adult  age. 

The  bones  of  the  hands  and  feet  are  remarkably 
small  and  delicately  proportioned,  which  observa- 
tion applies  also  to  the  entire  skeleton.  The  skull 
was  crushed  into  many  pieces,  but,  by  a cautious 
manipulation,  Doctor  Morton  succeeded  in  recon- 
structing the  posterior  and  lateral  portions.  The 
occiput  is  remarkably  flat  and  vertical,  while  the  lat- 
eral or  parietal  diameter  measures  no  less  than  five 
inches  and  eight  tenths. 

A chemical  examination  of  some  fragments  of  the 
bones  proves  them  to  be  almost  destitute  of  animal 
Yol.  I.— N n 


282 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


matter,  which,  in  the  perfect  osseous  structure,  con- 
stitutes about  thirty-three  parts  in  the  hundred. 

On  the  upper  part  of  the  left  tibia  there  is  a swell- 
ing of  the  bone,  called,  in  surgical  language,  a node , 
an  inch  and  a half  in  length,  and  more  than  half  an 
inch  above  the  natural  surface.  This  morbid  con- 
dition may  have  resulted  from  a variety  of  causes, 
but  possesses  greater  interest  on  account  of  its  ex- 
treme infrequency  among  the  primitive  Indian  pop- 
ulation of  the  country. 

On  a late  visit  to  Boston  I had  the  satisfaction 
of  examining  a small  and  extremely  interesting  col- 
lection of  mummied  bodies  in  the  possession  of  Mr. 
John  H.  Blake,  of  that  city,  dug  up  by  himself  from 
an  ancient  cemetery  in  Peru.  This  cemetery  lies  on 
the  shore  of  the  Bay  of  Chacota,  near  Arica,  in  lat- 
itude 18°  20'  south.  It  covers  a large  tract  of 
ground.  The  graves  are  all  of  a circular  form, 
from  two  to  four  feet  in  diameter,  and  from  four  to 
five  feet  deep.  In  one  of  them  Mr.  Blake  found 
the  mummies  of  a man,  a woman,  a child  twelve  or 
fourteen  years  old,  and  an  infant.  They  were  all 
closely  wrapped  in  woollen  garments  of  various  col- 
ours and  degrees  of  fineness,  secured  by  needles  of 
thorn  thrust  through  the  cloth.  The  skeletons  are 
saturated  with  some  bituminous  substance,  and  are 
all  in  a remarkable  state  of  preservation.  The 
woollen  cloths,  too,  are  well  preserved,  which  no 
doubt  is  accounted  for,  in  a great  degree,  by  the  ex- 
treme dryness  of  the  soil  and  atmosphere  of  that 
part  of  Peru. 


MUMMIES  FROM  PERU. 


283 


Mr.  Blake  visited  many  other  cemeteries  between 
the  Andes  and  the  Pacific  Ocean  as  far  south  as 
Chili,  all  of  which  possess  the  same  general  features 
with  those  found  in  the  elevated  valleys  of  the  Pe- 
ruvian Andes.  No  record  or  tradition  exists  in  re- 
gard to  these  cemeteries,  but  woollen  cloths  similar 
to  those^found  by  Mr.  Blake  are  woven  at  this  day, 
and  probably  in  the  same  manner,  by  the  Indians 
of  Peru  ; and  in  the  eastern  part  of  Bolivia,  to  the 
southward  of  the  place  where  these  mummies  were 
discovered,  he  found,  on  the  most  barren  portion  of 
the  Desert  of  Atacama,  a few  Indians,  who,  proba- 
bly from  the  difficulty  of  access  to  their  place  of 
abode,  have  been  less  influenced  by  the  Spaniards, 
and  for  this  reason  retain  more  of  their  primitive 
customs,  and  their  dress  at  this  day  resembles  closely 
that  which  envelops  the  bodies  in  his  possession, 
both  in  the  texture  and  the  form. 

Doctor  Morton  says  that  these  mummies  from 
Peru  have  the  same  peculiarities  in  the  form  of  the 
skull,  the  same  delicacy  of  the  bones,  and  the  same 
remarkable  smallness  of  the  hands  and  feet,  with 
that  found  in  the  sepulchre  at  San  Francisco.  He 
says,  too,  from  an  examination  of  nearly  four  hun- 
dred skulls  of  individuals  belonging  to  older  nations 
of  Mexico  and  Peru,  and  of  skulls  dug  from  the 
mounds  of  our  western  country,  that  he  finds  them 
all  formed  on  the  same  model,  and  conforming  in  a 
remarkable  manner  to  that  brought  from  San  Fran- 
cisco ; and  that  this  cranium  has  the  same,  type  of 


284 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


physical  conformation  which  has  been  bestowed 
with  amazing  uniformity  upon  all  the  tribes  on  our 
continent,  from  Canada  to  Patagonia,  and  from  the 
Atlantic  to  the  Pacific  Ocean.  He  adds,  that  it  af- 
fords additional  support  to  the  opinion  which  he 
has  always  entertained,  that,  notwithstanding  some 
slight  variation  in  physical  conformation,  a^d  others 
of  a much  more  remarkable  character  in  intellectual 
attainments,  all  the  aboriginal  Americans  of  all 
known  epochs  belong  to  the  same  great  and  dis- 
tinctive race. 

If  this  opinion  is  correct,  and  I believe  it — if  this 
skeleton  does  present  the  same  type  of  physical 
conformation  with  all  the  tribes  of  our  continent — 
then,  indeed,  do  these  crumbling  bones  declare,  as 
with  a voice  from  the  grave,  that  we  cannot  go  back 
to  any  ancient  nation  of  the  Old  World  for  the  build- 
ers of  these  cities ; they  are  not  the  works  of  peo- 
ple who  have  passed  away,  and  whose  history  is 
lost,  but  of  the  same  great  race  which,  changed, 
miserable,  and  degraded,  still  clings  around  their 
ruins. 

To  return  to  the  ruins  of  San  Francisco.  We 
devoted  two  days  more  to  excavating,  but  did  not 
make  any  farther  discoveries. 

Among  the  ruins  were  circular  holes  in  the 
ground  like  those  at  Uxmal.  The  mouth  of  one 
was  broken  and  enlarged,  and  I descended  by  a 
ladder  into  a dome-shaped  chamber,  precisely  the 
same  as  at  Uxmal,  but  a little  larger.  At  Uxmal 


THE  SEYBO  TREE. 


285 


the  character  of  these  was  mere  matter  of  conjec- 
ture ; but  at  this  short  distance,  the  Indians  had 
specific  notions  in  regard  to  their  objects  and  uses, 
and  called  them  chultunes,  or  wells.  In  all  direc- 
tions, too,  were  seen  the  oblong  stones  hollowed 
out  like  troughs,  which  at  Uxmal  were  called  pilas, 
or  fountains,  but  here  the  Indians  called  them  liol- 
cas  or  piedras  de  molir,  stones  for  grinding,  which 
they  said  were  used  by  the  ancients  to  mash  corn 
upon  ; and  the  proprietor  showed  us  a round  stone 
like  a bread  roller,  which  they  called  kabtum,  bra- 
zo  de  piedra,  or  arm  of  stone,  used,  as  they  said,  for 
mashing  the  corn.  The  different  names  they  as- 
signed in  different  places  to  the  same  thing,  and  the 
different  uses  ascribed  to  it,  show,  with  many  other 
facts,  the  utter  absence  of  all  traditionary  knowl- 
edge among  the  Indians  ; and  this  is  perhaps  the 
greatest  difficulty  we  have  to  encounter  in  ascribing 
to  their  ancestors  the  building  of  these  cities. 

The  last  day  we  returned  from  the  ruins  earlier 
than  usual,  and  stopped  at  the  campo  santo.  In 
front  stood  a noble  seybo  tree.  I had  been  anxious 
to  learn  something  of  the  growth  of  this  tree,  but 
had  never  had  an  opportunity  of  doing  it  before. 
The  cura  told  me  that  it  was  then  twenty-three 
years  old.  There  could  be  no  doubt  or  mistake  on 
this  point.  Its  age  was  as  well  known  as  his  own, 
or  that  of  any  other  person  in  the  village.  The 
following  woodcut  represents  this  tree.  The  trunk 
at  the  distance  of  five  feet  from  the  ground  measured 


286 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


\1\  feet  in  circumference,  and  its  great  branches  af- 
forded on  all  sides  a magnificent  shade.  We  had 
found  trees  like  it  growing  on  the  tops  of  the  ruined 
structures  at  Copan  and  Palenque,  and  many  had 
for  that  reason  ascribed  to  the  buildings  a very  great 
antiquity.  This  tree  completely  removed  all  doubts 
which  I might  have  entertained,  and  confirmed  me 
in  the  opinion  I had  before  expressed,  that  no  cor- 
rect judgment  could  be  formed  of  the  antiquity  of 
these  buildings  from  the  size  ot  the  trees  growing 


THE  CAMPO  SANTO. 


287 


upon  them.  Remarkable  as  I considered  this  tree 
at  that  time,  I afterward  saw  larger  ones,  in  more 
favourable  situations,  not  so  old. 

The  campo  santo  was  enclosed  by  a high  stone 
wall.  The  interior  had  some  degree  of  plan  and 
arrangement,  and  in  some  places  were  tombs,  built 
above  ground,  belonging  to  families  in  the  village, 
hung  with  withered  wreaths  and  votive  offerings. 
The  population  tributary  to  it  was  about  five  thou- 
sand ; it  had  been  opened  but  five  years,  and  alrea- 
dy it  presented  a ghastly  spectacle.  There  were 
many  new-made  graves,  and  on  several  of  the  vaults 
were  a skull  and  small  collection  of  bones  in  a box 
or  tied  up  in  a napkin,  being  the  remains  of  one 
buried  within  and  taken  out  to  make  room  for  an- 
other corpse.  On  one  of  them  were  the  skull  and 
bones  of  a lady  of  the  village,  in  a basket ; an  old 
acquaintance  of  the  cura,  who  had  died  within  two 
years.  Among  the  bones  was  a pair  of  white  satin 
shoes,  which  she  had  perhaps  worn  in  the  dance, 
and  with  which  on  her  feet  she  had  been  buried. 

At  one  corner  of  the  cemetery  was  a walled  en- 
closure, about  twenty  feet  high  and  thirty  square, 
within  which  was  the  charnel-house  of  the  ceme- 
tery. A flight  of  stone  steps  led  to  the  top  of  the 
wall,  and  on  the  platform  of  the  steps  and  along  the 
wall  were  skulls  and  bones,  some  in  boxes  and  bas- 
kets, and  some  tied  up  in  cotton  cloths,  soon  to  be 
thrown  upon  the  common  pile,  but  as  yet  having  la- 
bels with  the  names  written  on  them,  to  make  known 


288 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


yet  a little  while  longer  the  individuals  to  whom  they 
had  once  belonged.  Within  the  enclosure  the  earth 
was  covered  several  feet  deep  with  the  promiscuous 
and  undistinguishable  bones  of  rich  and  poor,  high 
and  low,  men,  women,  and  children,  Spaniards, 
Mestizoes,  and  Indians,  all  mingled  together  as  they 
happened  to  fall.  Among  them  were  fragments  of 
bright-coloured  dresses,  and  the  long  hair  of  women 
still  clinging  to  the  skull.  Of  all  the  sad  mementoes 
declaring  the  end  to  which  all  that  is  bright  and 
beautiful  in  this  world  is  doomed,  none  ever  touched 
me  so  affectingly  as  this — the  ornament  and  crown- 
ing charm  of  woman,  the  peculiar  subject  of  her 
taste  and  daily  care,  loose,  dishevelled,  and  twining 
among  dry  and  mouldering  bones. 

W e left  the  campo  santo,  and  walked  up  the  long 
street  of  the  village,  the  quiet,  contented  character 
of  the  people  impressing  itself  more  strongly  than 
ever  upon  my  mind.  The  Indians  were  sitting  in 
the  yards,  shrouded  by  cocoanut  and  orange  trees, 
weaving  hammocks  and  platting  palm  leaves  for 
hats ; the  children  were  playing  naked  in  the  road, 
and  the  Mestiza  women  were  sitting  in  the  door- 
ways sewing.  The  news  of  our  digging  up  the 
bones  had  created  a sensation.  All  wanted  to  know 
what  the  day’s  work  had  produced,  and  all  rose  up 
as  the  cura  passed ; the  Indians  came  to  kiss  his 
hand,  and,  as  he  remarked,  except  when  the  crop  of 
maize  was  short,  all  were  happy.  In  a place  of 
such  bustle  and  confusion  as  our  own  city,  it  is  im- 
possible to  imagine  the  quiet  of  this  village. 


RUMOURS  OF  AN  INSURRECTION.  289 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

Departure  from  Ticul. — The  Sierra. — Nohcacab. — Ruins  of  Non- 
pat.— Return  to  Uxmal. — The  Campo  Santo. — Work  of  Mr.  Wal- 
deck. — General  Description  of  the  Ruins. — Two  ruined  Edifices. 
— Great  Stone  Rings. — House  of  the  Nuns. — Dimensions,  &c. — 
— Courtyard. — Facades.— A lofty  Edifice. — Complicated  Orna- 
ment.— Painted  Facades. — Sculptured  Doorways. — House  of 
the  Birds. — Remains  of  Painting. — An  Arch. — House  of  the 
Dwarf. — Building  loaded  with  Ornaments. — Long  and  narrow 
Structure. — Tasteful  Arrangement  of  Ornaments, — Human  Sac- 
rifices.— House  of  the  Pigeons. — Range  of  Terraces  called  the 
Campo  Santo. — House  of  the  Old  Woman. — Circular  Mound 
of  Ruins. — Wall  of  the  City. — Close  of  Description. — Title  Pa- 
pers of  Uxmal. — Of  the  Antiquity  of  Uxmal. 

The  next  day  was  Sunday,  which  I passed  in 
making  preparations  for  returning  to  Uxmal.  I had, 
however,  some  distraction.  In  the  morning  the 
quiet  of  the  village  was  a little  disturbed  by  intelli- 
gence of  a revolution  in  T ekax,  a town  nine  leagues 
distant.  Our  sojourn  in  the  country  had  been  so 
quiet  that  it  seemed  unnatural,  and  a small  revolution 
was  necessary  to  make  me  feel  at  home.  The  insur- 
gents had  deposed  the  alcalde,  appointed  their  own 
authorities,  and  laid  contributions  upon  the  inliabi- 
£ tants,  and  the  news  was  that  they  intended  marching 
three  hundred  men  against  Merida,  to  extort  an  ac- 
knowledgment of  independence.  Ticul  lay  in  their 
line  of  march,  but  as  it  was  considered  very  uncertain 
whether  they  would  carry  this  doughty  purpose  into 
execution,  I determined  not  to  change  my  plan. 

Vol.  I. — 0 o 25 


290 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


Doctor  Cabot’s  presence  in  the  village  was,  of 
course,  generally  known,  and  though  it  was  rather 
prejudicial  to  his  reputation  as  a medical  man  to  be 
ill  himself,  he  did  not  fail  to  have  patients.  His 
fame  as  a curer  of  biscos  had  reached  this  place, 
but,  fortunately  for  his  quiet,  there  was  only  one 
squinter  among  the  inhabitants,  though  his  was  vio- 
lent enough  for  a whole  village.  In  the  afternoon 
this  man  applied  for  relief.  Doctor  Cabot  told 
him  that  his  hand  was  not  yet  steady  enough  to  per- 
form the  operation,  and  that  I was  going  away  the 
next  day ; but  this  by  no  means  satisfied  him.  It 
happened,  however,  that  a gentleman  present,  who 
was  consulting  the  doctor  on  some  ailment  of  his 
own,  mentioned  incidentally  that  one  of  the  doctor’s 
patients  at  Merida  had  lost  the  eye,  though  he  add- 
ed that  the  loss  was  not  ascribed  to  the  operation, 
but  to  subsequent  bad  treatment.  This  story,  as  we 
afterward  learned,  was  entirely  without  foundation, 
but  it  had  its  effect  upon  the  bisco,  who  rolled  his 
eye  toward  the  door  so  violently  that  the  rest  of 
him  followed,  and  he  never  came  near  the  doctor 
again.  His  only  operation  that  day  was  upon  the 
wife  of  the  proprietor  of  San  Francisco,  whose  head 
he  laid  open,  and  took  out  a hideous  wen. 

I have  mentioned  the  extraordinary  stillness  of 
this  place.  Every  night,  however,  since  my  arrival, 
this  stillness  had  been  broken  by  the  canting,  sing- 
ing tones  of  a boy  calling  out  the  numbers  of  the 
loteria.  Preparations  were  making  for  a village  fete 


THE  LOTERIA. 


291 


in  February;  the  ground  was  already  marked  out 
in  front  of  the  convent  for  the  Plaza  de  Toros,  and 
the  loteria  was  adopted  as  the  means  of  raising 
money  to  pay  the  expenses.  I had  not  yet  attend- 
ed, and  on  the  last  night  of  my  stay  in  Ticul  I de- 
termined to  go.  It  was  held  in  the  corridor  of  the 
audiencia,  along  which  hung  branches  of  palm 
leaves  to  protect  the  lights.  It  was  Sunday  even- 
ing, and,  consequently,  the  attendance  was  more 
numerous  than  usual.  At  the  entrance  sat  the  boy, 
whose  voice  is  even  now  ringing  in  my  ears,  rat- 
tling a bag  of  balls,  drawing  them  out,  and  calling 
off  the  numbers.  Along  the  corridor  was  a rough 
table  with  a row  of  candles  in  the  centre,  and 
benches  on  each  side  were  occupied  by  the  villagers, 
without  distinction  of  persons,  with  papers  and 
grains  of  corn  before  them,  the  same  as  at  Merida. 
The  largest  sum  called  off  was  twenty-nine  reals. 
One  real  was  deducted  from  every  dollar  for  the 
particular  object  of  the  lottery,  and  the  fund  which 
the  boy  had  obtained  by  such  a potent  use  of  his 
voice  then  amounted  to  sixty-three  dollars.  There 
were  several  performers  giving  out  somewhat  equiv- 
ocal music,  without  which  nothing  in  that  country 
could  go  on  long,  and  occasionally  two  reals  were 
drawn  from  the  purse  for  them.  All  entered  who 
pleased.  There  was  no  regulation  of  dress  or  eti- 
quette, but  much  quiet  courtesy  of  manner,  and  it  was 
regarded  a mere  converzatione,  or  place  for  passing 
the  evening.  I remained  about  an  hour.  As 


292 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


we  crossed  the  plaza,  the  moon  lighted  up  the  ven- 
erable front  of  the  convent,  and  for  the  last  time  I 
slept  within  its  walls. 

The  next  morning  I bade  farewell  to  the  cura, 
with  an  understanding,  that  as  soon  as  Doctor  Ca- 
bot was  able  to  return,  the  good  padre  would  ac- 
company him  to  finish  his  interrupted  visit  to  us  at 
Uxmal.  My  time  at  Ticul  had  not  been  lost.  Be- 
sides exploring  the  ruins  of  San  Francisco,  I had  re- 
ceived accounts  of  others  from  the  cura,  which  prom- 
ised to  add  greatly  to  the  interest  of  our  expedition. 

That  I might  take  a passing  view  of  one  of  these 
places  on  my  return  to  Uxmal,  I determined  to  go 
back  by  a different  road,  across  the  sierra,  which 
rises  a short  distance  from  the  village  of  Ticul.  The 
ascent  was  steep,  broken,  and  stony.  The  whole 
range  was  a mass  of  limestone  rock,  with  a few 
stunted  trees,  but  not  enough  to  afford  shade,  and 
white  under  the  reflection  of  the  sun.  In  an  hour 
I reached  the  top  of  the  sierra.  Looking  back,  my 
last  view  of  the  plain  presented,  high  above  every- 
thing else,  the  church  and  convent  which  I had  left. 

I was  an  hour  crossing  the  sierra,  and  on  the  other 
side  my  first  view  of  the  great  plain  took  in  the 
church  of  Nohcacab,  standing  like  a colossus  in  the  0 
wilderness,  the  only  token  to  indicate  the  presence 
of  man.  Descending  to  the  plain,  I saw  nothing 
but  trees,  until,  when  close  upon  the  village,  the 
great  church  again  rose  before  me,  towering  above 
the  houses,  and  the  only  object  visible. 


RUINS  OF  NO  HP  AT. RETURN  TO  UXMAL.  293 

The  village  was  under  the  pastoral  charge  of  the 
cura  of  Ticul,  and  in  the  suburbs  I met  his  ministro 
on  horseback,  waiting,  according  to  the  directions 
of  the  former,  to  escort  me  to  the  ruins  of  Nohpat. 
At  a league’s  distance  we  turned  off  from  the  main 
road,  and,  following  a narrow  path  leading  to  some 
milpas,  in  fifteen  minutes  we  saw  towering  before 
us  lofty  but  shattered  buildings,  the  relics  of  another 
ruined  city.  I saw  at  a glance  that  it  would  be 
indispensable  for  Mr.  Catherwood  to  visit  them. 
Nevertheless,  I passed  three  hours  on  the  ground, 
toiling  in  the  hot  sun,  and  at  four  o’clock,  with 
strong  apprehensions  of  another  attack  of  fever,  I 
mounted  to  continue  my  journey. 

A little  before  dark  I emerged  from  the  woods, 
and  saw  Mr.  Catherwood  standing  on  the  platform 
of  the  Casa  del  Gobernador,  the  sole  tenant  of  the 
ruins  of  Uxmal.  His  Indians  had  finished  their 
day’s  work,  Bernaldo  and  Chaipa  Chi  had  gone, 
and  since  Doctor  Cabot  left  he  had  slept  alone  in 
our  quarters.  He  had  a feeling  of  security  from  the 
tranquil  state  of  the  country,  the  harmless  character 
of  the  Indians,  their  superstitions  in  regard  to  the 
ruins,  and  a spring  pistol  with  a cord  across  the 
door,  which  could  not  fail  to  bring  down  any  one 
who  might  attempt  to  enter  at  night. 

It  had  happened  most  fortunately  for  our  opera- 
tions that  Mr.  Catherwood  had  held  out.  Without 
any  resources  or  anything  to  occupy  him  except 
work,  he  had  accomplished  an  enormous  deal,  and 


294 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


from  being  so  much  better  provided  with  the  com- 
forts of  living  than  at  any  former  time  while  explo- 
ring ruins,  he  had  continued  in  good  health  and 
spirits. 

At  dark  the  Indian  arrived  with  my  luggage, 
sweating  at  every  pore,  having  carried  it  twenty-one 
miles,  for  which  I paid  him  three  shillings  and  six- 
pence. As  he  was  going  away  we  gave  him  a roll 
of  bread,  and  he  asked  by  signs  if  he  was  to  carry 
it  to  the  cura.  Being  made  to  comprehend  that  he 
was  to  eat  it  himself,  he  sat  down  and  commenced 
immediately,  having  probably  never  eaten  so  much 
bread  before  in  his  life.  We  then  gave  him  half 
a cup  of  Habanero,  some  plantains  and  a cigar,  and, 
as  the  dew  was  heavy,  told  him  to  sit  by  the  fire. 
When  he  had  finished  these  we  repeated  the  por- 
tion, and  he  seemed  hardly  to  believe  his  good  for- 
tune real,  but  he  had  an  idea  that  he  was  well  off, 
and  either  from  being  a stranger,  and  free  from  the 
apprehensions  felt  by  the  Indians  of  Uxmal,  or  else 
from  a fancy  he  had  taken  to  us,  he  asked  for  a cos- 
tal, a piece  of  hemp  bagging,  to  sleep  upon.  We 
gave  him  one,  and  he  lay  down  by  the  fire  ; for  a 
while  he  endeavoured  to  protect  his  naked  body 
against  the  moschetoes,  and  kept  up  a continued 
slapping,  lighter  or  heavier  according  to  the  aggra- 
vation, changed  his  position,  and  tried  the  back  cor- 
ridor, but  it  was  all  in  vain  ; and,  finally,  with  a sad 
attempt  at  a smile,  he  asked  for  another  drink  of 
Habanero  and  a cigar,  and  went  away. 


CHRISTMAS  DAY. 


295 


On  the  twenty-fourth  of  December  Doctor  Cabot 
returned  from  Ticul,  bringing  back  with  him  Albino, 
who  was  still  in  a rueful  plight.  Unfortunately,  the 
cura  Carillo  was  unwell,  and  unable  to  accompany 
him,  but  bad  promised  to  follow  in  a few  days.  On 
Christmas  eve  we  were  all  once  more  together,  and 
Christmas  Day,  in  spite  of  ourselves,  was  a holyday. 
No  Indians  came  out  to  work.  Cbaipa  Chi,  who  bad 
moved  regularly  as  the  sun,  for  the  first  time  failed. 
We  bad,  however,  as  visiters,  a number  of  women 
from  the  village  of  Moona.  From  the  top  of  the 
House  of  the  Dwarf  we  saw  them  moving  toward 
that  of  the  Nuns,  and  went  down  to  receive  them. 
The  only  males  who  accompanied  them  were  a lad 
about  fourteen  attending  his  newly-married  wife, 
and  the  husband  of  the  woman  I had  seen  buried, 
who  either  had  not  the  spirit  for  joining  in  the  fes- 
tivities at  the  hacienda,  or  was  putting  himself  in 
the  way  of  repairing  his  loss. 

Unable  to  do  anything  at  the  ruins,  I walked  down 
to  the  hacienda  to  see  one  of  our  horses  which  had 
a sore  back.  The  hacienda  was  deserted,  but  the 
sound  of  violins  led  me  to  the  place  where  the  In- 
dians were  congregated.  Preparations  were  ma- 
king on  a large  scale  for  the  evening  feast.  The 
place  looked  like  a butcher’s  shambles,  for  they  had 
cut  up  what  had  once  composed  eight  turkeys,  two 
hogs,  and  I do  not  know  how  many  fowls.  The 
women  were  all  busy ; Chaipa  Chi  was  lady-patron- 
ess, and  up  to  her  elbows  in  tortillas. 


296 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


I walked  on  to  the  campo  santo,  for  the  purpose 
of  carrying  away  two  skulls  which  I had  selected 
and  laid  aside  on  the  charnel  pile  at  the  time  of  the 
funeral.  I had  taken  some  precautions,  for  the  news 
of  the  carrying  off  the  bones  from  San  Francisco 
had  created  some  excitement  among  the  Indians  all 
over  the  country;  and  as  I had  to  pass  a long  row  of 
huts,  I had  procured  two  calabazas,  or  gourds,  for 
drinking  cups,  which  I carried  in  a pocket-hand- 
kerchief, and  intended  to  throw  away  in  the  grave- 
yard, and  substitute  the  skulls.  On  reaching  the  pile, 
however,  I found  that  other  hands  had  been  upon 
it.  The  skulls  I had  selected  had  been  displaced  and 
mingled  with  the  others,  so  that  I could  not  iden- 
tify them.  I examined  the  whole  heap,  but  could 
recognise  only  the  huge  skull  of  an  African  and 
that  of  the  woman  I had  seen  dug  up.  The  latter 
was  the  skull  of  a full-blooded  Indian,  but  it  had 
been  damaged  by  the  crowbar  ; besides,  I had  seen 
all  her  bones  and  her  very  flesh  taken  piecemeal 
out  of  the  grave ; I had  heard  so  much  of  her  that 
she  seemed  an  acquaintance,  and  I had  some  qualms 
of  conscience  about  carrying  her  skull  away.  In 
fact,  alone  in  the  stillness  and  silence  of  the  place, 
something  of  a superstitious  feeling  came  over 
me  about  disturbing  the  bones  of  the  dead  and 
robbing  a graveyard.  I should  nevertheless,  per- 
haps, have  taken  up  two  skulls  at  random,  but,  to 
increase  my  wavering  feeling,  I saw  two  Indian 
women  peeping  at  me  through  the  trees,  and,  not 


WORK  OF  MR.  WALDECK. 


297 


wishing  to  run  the  risk  of  creating  a disturbance  on 
the  hacienda,  I left  the  graveyard  with  empty  hands. 
The  majoral  afterward  told  me  that  it  was  fortunate 
I had  done  so,  for  that  if  I had  carried  any  away,  it 
would  have  caused  an  excitement  among  the  Indians, 
and  perhaps  led  to  mischief. 

The  account  of  our  residence  at  Uxmal  is  now 
drawing  to  a close,  and  it  is  time  to  bring  before  the 
reader  the  remainder  of  the  ruins  ; but  before  doing 
so  I shall  make  one  remark  in  regard  to  the  work 
of  Mr.  Waldeck,  which  was  published  in  folio  at 
Paris  in  1835,  and,  except  my  own  hurried  notice, 
is  the  only  account  that  has  ever  been  published  of 
the  ruins  at  Uxmal.  I had  this  work  with  me  on 
our  last  visit.  It  will  be  found  that  our  plans  and 
drawings  differ  materially  from  his,  hut  Mr.  Wal- 
deck was  not  an  architectural  draughtsman,  and  he 
complains  that  his  drawings  were  taken  from  him 
by  the  Mexican  government.  I differ  from  him, 
too,  in  the  statement  of  some  facts,  and  almost  en- 
tirely in  opinions  and  conclusions  ; hut  these  things 
occur  of  course,  and  the  next  person  who  visits 
these  ruins  will  perhaps  differ  in  many  respects  from 
both  of  us.  It  is  proper  to  say,  moreover,  that  Mr. 
Waldeck  had  much  greater  difficulties  to  encounter 
than  we,  for  at  the  time  of  his  visit  the  ground  had 
not  been  cleared  for  a milpa,  and  the  whole  field 
was  overgrown  with  trees  ; besides,  he  is  justly  en- 
titled to  the  full  credit  of  being  the  first  stranger 

Vol.  I. — P P 


298 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


who  visited  these  mins,  and  brought  them  to  the 
notice  of  the  public. 

To  return.  I have  already  mentioned  the  Casa 
del  Gobernador  and  the  Casa  de  las  Tortugas,  or 
House  of  the  Turtles,  the  latter  of  which  stands  on 
the  grand  platform  of  the  second  terrace  of  the  Casa 
del  Gobernador,  at  the  northwest  corner. 

Descending  from  this  building,  and  on  a line  with 
the  doorway  of  the  Casa  de  las  Monjas,  going  north, 
at  the  distance  of  two  hundred  and  forty  feet  are 
two  ruined  edifices  facing  each  other,  and  seventy 
feet  apart,  as  laid  down  on  the  general  plan  of  the 
ruins.  Each  is  one  hundred  and  twenty-eight  feet 
long,  and  thirty  feet  deep,  and,  so  far  as  they  can  be 
made  out,  they  appear  to  have  been  exactly  alike  in 
plan  and  ornament.  The  sides  facing  each  other 
were  embellished  with  sculpture,  and  there  remain 
on  both  the  fragments  of  entwined  colossal  serpents, 
which  ran  the  whole  length  of  the  walls. 

In  the  centre  of  each  facade,  at  points  directly 
opposite  each  other,  are  the  fragments  of  a great 
stone  ring.  Each  of  these  rings  was  four  feet  in 
diameter,  and  secured  in  the  wall  by  a stone  tenon 
of  corresponding  dimensions.  They  appear  to  have 
:een  broken  wilfully;  of  each,  the  part  nearest  the 
em  still  projects  from  the  wall,  and  the  outer  sur- 
lace  is  covered  with  sculptured  characters.  We 
made  excavations  among  the  ruins  along  the  base  of 
the  walls,  in  hope  of  discovering  the  missing  parts 
of  these  rings,  but  without  success. 

These  structures  have  no  doorways  or  openings 


HOUSE  OF  THE  NUNS. 


299 


ot  any  kind,  either  on  the  sides  or  at  the  ends.  In 
the  belief  that  they  must  have  interior  chambers,  we 
made  a breach  in  the  wall  of  the  one  on  the  east  to 
the  depth  of  eight  or  ten  feet,  but  we  found  only 
rough  stones,  hanging  so  loosely  together  as  to  make 
it  dangerous  for  the  Indians  to  work  in  the  holes, 
and  they  were  obliged  to  discontinue. 

This  excavation,  however,  carried  us  through 
nearly  one  third  of  the  structure,  and  satisfied  us 
that  these  great  parallel  edifices  did  not  contain  any 
interior  apartments,  but  that  each  consisted  merely 
of  four  great  walls,  filled  up  with  a solid  mass  of 
stones.  It  was  our  opinion  that  they  had  been  built 
expressly  with  reference  to  the  two  great  rings  fa- 
cing each  other  in  the  facades,  and  that  the  space 
between  was  intended  for  the  celebration  of  some 
public  games,  in  which  opinion  we  were  afterward 
confirmed. 

Passing  between  these  buildings,  and  continuing 
in  the  same  direction,  we  reach  the  front  of  the 
Casa  de  las  Monjas,  or  House  of  the  Nuns. 

This  building  is  quadrangular,  with  a courtyard  in 
the  centre.  It  stands  on  the  highest  of  three  ter- 
races. The  lowest  is  three  feet  high  and  twenty 
feet  -wide ; the  second,  twelve  feet  high  and  forty- 
five  feet  wide  ; and  the  third,  four  feet  high  and  five 
feet  wide,  extending  the  whole  length  of  the  front 
of  the  building. 

The  front  is  two  hundred  and  seventy-nine  feet 
long,  and  above  the  cornice,  from  one  end  to  the 


300 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


other,  it  is  ornamented  with  sculpture.  In  the  cen- 
tre is  a gateway  ten  feet  eight  inches  wTide,  spanned 
by  the  triangular  arch,  and  leading  to  the  courtyard. 
On  each  side  of  this  gateway  are  four  doorways 
with  wooden  lintels,  opening  to  apartments  avera- 
ging twenty-four  feet  long,  ten  feet  wide,  and  seven- 
teen feet  high  to  the  top  of  the  arch,  but  having  no 
communication  with  each  other. 

The  building  that  forms  the  right  or  eastern  side 
of  the  quadrangle  is  one  hundred  and  fifty-eight  feet 
long ; that  on  the  left  is  one  hundred  and  seventy- 
three  feet  long,  and  the  range  opposite  or  at  the  end 
of  the  quadrangle  measures  two  hundred  and  sixty- 
four  feet. 

These  three  ranges  of  buildings  have  no  door- 
ways outside,  but  the  exterior  of  each  is  a dead 
wall,  and  above  the  cornice  all  are  ornamented 
with  the  same  rich  and  elaborate  sculpture.  On 
the  exterior  of  the  range  last  mentioned,  the  designs 
are  simple,  and  among  them  are  two  rude,  naked 
figures,  which  have  been  considered  as  indicating 
the  existence  of  that  same  Eastern  worship  before 
referred  to  among  the  people  of  Uxmal. 

Such  is  the  exterior  of  this  building.  Passing 
through  the  arched  gateway,  we  enter  a noble  court- 
yard, with  four  great  facades  looking  down  upon  it, 
each  ornamented  from  one  end  to  the  other  with 
the  richest  and  most  intricate  carving  known  in  the 
art  of  the  builders  of  Uxmal ; presenting  a scene 
of  strange  magnificence,  surpassing  any  that  is  now 


THE  COURTYARD. 


301 


Plan  of  the  Courtyard. 


to  be  seen  among  its  ruins.  This  courtyard  is  two 
hundred  and  fourteen  feet  wide,  and  two  hundred 
and  fifty-eight  feet  deep.  At  the  time  of  our  first 
entrance  it  was  overgrown  with  bushes  and  grass, 
quails  started  up  from  under  our  feet,  and,  with  a 
whirring  flight,  passed  over  the  tops  of  the  build- 
ings. Whenever  we  went  to  it,  we  started  flocks 
of  these  birds,  and  throughout  the  whole  of  our 
residence  at  Uxmal  they  were  the  only  disturbers 
of  its  silence  and  desolation. 

26 


302 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


Among  my  many  causes  of  regret  for  the  small 
scale  on  which  I am  obliged  to  present  these  draw- 
ings, none  is  stronger  than  the  consequent  inability 
to  present,  with  all  their  detail  of  ornament,  the 
four  great  fa^.ades  fronting  this  courtyard.  There 
is  but  one  alleviating  circumstance  ; which  is,  that 
the  side  most  richly  ornamented  is  so  ruined  that, 
under  any  circumstances,  it  could  not  be  presented 
entire. 

This  fa9ade  is  on  the  left  of  the  visiter  entering 
tire  courtyard.  It  is  one  hundred  and  seventy-three 
feet  long,  and  is  distinguished  by  two  colossal  ser- 
pents entwined,  running  through  and  encompassing 
nearly  all  the  ornaments  throughout  its  whole  length. 
The  two  plates  which  follow  represent  the  only 
parts  remaining. 

The  first  exhibits  that  portion  of  the  facade  to- 
ward the  north  end  of  the  building.  The  tail  of 
one  serpent  is  held  up  nearly  over  the  head  of  the 
other,  and  has  an  ornament  upon  it  like  a turban, 
with  a plume  of  feathers.  The  marks  on  the  ex- 
tremity of  the  tail  are  probably  intended  to  indicate  a 
rattlesnake,  with  which  species  of  serpent  the  coun- 
try abounds.  The  lower  serpent  has  its  monstrous 
jaws  wide  open,  and  within  them  is  a human  head, 
the  face  of  which  is  distinctly  visible  on  the  stone, 
and  appears  faintly  in  the  drawing.  From  the  ruin 
to  which  all  was  hurrying,  Don  Simon  cared  only 
to  preserve  this  serpent’s  head.  He  said  that  we 
might  tear  and  out  carry  away  every  other  ornament, 


PORTION  OP  WESTERN  RUILDINO.MONJAS  .UXMAL 


J ORT  ION  OK  THE  WESTERN  HANGE  OF  HUIL1JIN  G .MONJAS  .UJXMAL 


A RICH  FACADE. 


303 


but  this  he  intended  to  build  into  the  wall  of  a house 
in  Merida  as  a memorial  of  Uxmal. 

The  second  engraving  represents  the  two  entwi- 
ned serpents  enclosing  and  running  through  the  or- 
naments over  a doorway.  The  principal  feature  in 
the  ornament  enclosed  is  the  figure  of  a human  be- 
ing, standing,  but  much  mutilated.  The  bodies  of 
the  serpents,  according  to  the  representations  of  the 
same  design  in  other  parts  of  the  sculpture,  are 
covered  with  feathers. 

The  two  engravings  represent  about  one  fifth  of 
the  whole  facade  ; the  other  four  fifths  were  en- 
riched with  the  same  mass  of  sculptured  ornaments, 
and  toward  the  south  end  the  head  and  tail  of  the 
serpents  corresponded  in  design  and  position  with 
the  portion  still  existing  at  the  other.  Had  it  been 
our  fortune  to  reach  this  place  a few  years  sooner, 
we  might  have  seen  the  whole  entire.  Don  Simon 
told  us  that  in  1835  the  whole  frout  stood,  and  the 
two  serpents  were  seen  encircling  every  ornament 
in  the  building.  In  its  ruins  it  presents  a lively  idea 
of  the  “ large  and  very  well  constructed  buildings 
of  lime  and  stone”  which  Bernal  Dias  saw  on  land- 
ing at  Campeachy,  “ with  figures  of  serpents  and  of 
idols  painted  on  the  walls.” 

At  the  end  of  the  courtyard,  and  fronting  the 
gate  of  entrance,  is  the  facade  of  a lofty  building, 
two  hundred  and  sixty-four  feet  long,  standing  on  a 
terrace  twenty  feet  high.  The  ascent  is  by  a grand 
but  ruined  staircase,  ninety-five  feet  wide,  flanked 


304 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


on  each  side  by  a building  with  sculptured  front, 
and  having  three  doorways,  each  leading  to  apart- 
ments within. 

The  height  of  this  building  to  the  upper  cornice 
is  twenty-five  feet.  It  has  thirteen  doorways,  over 
each  of  which  rose  a perpendicular  wall  ten  feet 
wide  and  seventeen  feet  high  above  the  cornice, 
making  the  whole  height  forty-two  feet  from  the 
ground.  These  lofty  structures  were  no  doubt 
erected  to  give  grandeur  and  effect  to  the  building, 
and  at  a distance  they  appear  to  be  turrets,  but  only 
four  of  them  now  remain.  The  whole  great  facade, 
including  the  turrets,  is  crowded  with  complicated 
and  elaborate  sculpture,  among  which  are  human 
figures  rudely  executed : two  are  represented  as 
playing  on  musical  instruments,  one  being  not  un- 
like a small  harp,  and  the  other  in  the  nature  of  a 
guitar  ; a third  is  in  a sitting  posture,  with  his 
hands  across  his  breast,  and  tied  by  cords,  the  ends 
of  which  pass  over  his  shoulders.  Of  the  rest  there 
is  nothing  which  stands  out  distinct  and  intelligible 
like  the  serpent,  and  the  whole,  loaded  as  it  is  with 
ornament,  conveys  the  idea  of  vastness  and  magnifi- 
cence rather  than  that  of  taste  and  refinement. 

This  building  has  one  curious  feature.  It  is 
erected  over,  and  completely  encloses,  a smaller  one 
of  older  date.  The  doorways,  walls,  and  w'ooden 
lintels  of  the  latter  are  all  seen,  and  where  the  outer 
building  is  fallen,  the  ornamented  cornice  of  the 
inner  one  is  visible. 


/ 


' 

' -U  ■■ 

W : 


VIKVf  FROM  LA  CASA  J'll.1  f A ^ itrnyrag  TT^i'fA[  • • ■ > • ■■■•.  ■■p.i 


A GRAND  VIEW. 


305 


From  the  platform  of  the  steps  of  this  building, 
looking  across  the  courtyard,  a grand  view  presents 
itself,  embracing  all  the  principal  buildings  that  now 
tower  above  the  plain,  except  the  House  of  the 
Dwarf.  The  engraving  opposite  represents  this 
view.  In  the  foreground  is  the  inner  facade  of  the 
front  range  of  the  Monjas,  with  a portion  of  the 
range  on  each  side  of  the  courtyard.  To  the  left, 
in  the  distance,  appears  the  Casa  de  la  Vieja,  or  of 
the  Old  Woman,  and,  rising  grandly  above  the  front 
of  the  Monjas,  are  the  House  of  the  Turtles,  that 
of  the  Governor,  and  the  Casa  de  Palomos,  or  the 
House  of  the  Pigeons. 

The  last  of  the  four  sides  of  the  courtyard,  stand- 
ing on  the  right  of  the  entrance,  is  represented  in  the 
Vol.  I. — Q,  Q, 


306 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


plate  opposite.  It  is  the  most  entire  of  any,  and, 
in  fact,  wants  but  little  more  than  its  wooden  lin- 
tels, and  some  stones  which  have  been  picked  out 
of  the  facade  below  the  cornice,  to  make  it  perfect. 
It  is,  too,  the  most  chaste  and  simple  in  design  and 
ornament,  and  it  was  always  refreshing  to  turn  from 
the  gorgeous  and  elaborate  masses  on  the  other  fa- 
cades to  this  curious  and  pleasing  combination. 

The  ornament  over  the  centre  doorway  is  the 
most  important,  the  most  complicated  and  elaborate, 
and  of  that  marked  and  peculiar  style  which  char- 
acterizes the  highest  efforts  of  these  ancient  build- 
ers. The  ornaments  over  the  other  doorways  are 
less  striking,  more  simple,  and  more  pleasing.  In 
all  of  them  there  is  in  the  centre  a masked  face 
with  the  tongue  hanging  out,  surmounted  by  an 
elaborate  headdress  ; between  the  horizontal  bars  is 
a range  of  diamond-shaped  ornaments,  in  which  the 
remains  of  red  paint  are  still  distinctly  visible,  and 
at  each  end  of  these  bars  is  a serpent’s  head,  with 
the  mouth  wide  open. 


• pooMusi/ ?vp 


SOUTH  EAST  ANGLE  ON  MONJAS , UXMAL 


PAINTED  FACADES. 


307 


The  engraving  opposite  represents  the  southeast 
corner  of  this  building.  The  angle  exhibits  the 
great  face  before  presented,  with  the  stone  curving 
upward  at  the  projecting  end.  On  each  side  is  a 
succession  of  compartments,  alternately  plain,  and 
presenting  the  form  of  diamond  lattice-work.  In 
both  there  is  an  agreeable  succession  of  plain  and 
ornamented,  and,  in  fact,  it  would  be  difficult,  in 
arranging  four  sides  facing  a courtyard,  to  have 
more  variety,  and  at  the  same  time  more  harmony 
of  ornament.  All  these  facades  were  painted  ; the 
traces  of  the  colour  are  still  visible,  and  the  reader 
may  imagine  what  the  effect  must  have  been  when 
all  this  building  was  entire,  and  according  to  its 
supposed  design,  in  its  now  desolate  doorways 
stood  noble  Maya  maidens,  like  the  vestal  virgins 
of  the  Romans,  to  cherish  and  keep  alive  the  sa- 
cred fire  burning  in  the  temples. 

I omit  a description  of  the  apartments  opening 
upon  this  courtyard.  We  made  plans  of  all  of  them, 
but  they  are  generally  much  alike,  except  in  the  di- 
mensions. The  number  in  all  is  eighty-eight. 

In  the  range  last  presented,  however,  there  is  one 
suite  different  from  all  the  rest.  The  entrance  to 
this  suite  is  by  the  centre  and  principal  doorway, 


308 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


and  the  engraving  opposite  represents  the  interior. 
It  consists  of  two  parallel  chambers,  each  thirty- 
three  feet  long  and  thirteen  wide ; and  at  each  end 
of  both  chambers  is  a doorway  communicating  with 
other  chambers  nine  feet  long  and  thirteen  wide. 
The  doorways  of  all  these  are  ornamented  with 
sculpture,  and  they  are  the  only  ornaments  found  in 
the  interior  of  any  buildings  in  Uxmal.  The  whole 
suite  consists  of  six  rooms  ; and  there  is  a conve- 
nience in  the  arragements  not  unsuited  to  the  habits 
of  what  we  call  civilized  life ; opening  as  they  do 
upon  this  noble  courtyard,  in  the  dry  season,  with 
nothing  to  apprehend  from  vegetation  and  damp, 
they  would  be  by  far  the  most  comfortable  residence 
for  any  future  explorer  of  the  ruins  of  Uxmal ; and 
every  time  I went  to  them  I regretted  that  we  could 
not  avail  ourselves  of  the  facilities  they  offered. 

With  these  few  words  I take  leave  of  the  Casa 
de  las  Monjas,  remarking  only  that  in  the  centre  is 
the  fragment  of  a large  stone  like  that  on  the  terrace 
of  the  Casa  del  Gobernador,  called  the  Picote,  and 
also  that,  induced  by  the  account  of  Waldeck  that 
the  whole  was  once  paved  with  sculptured  turtles, 
I passed  a morning  digging  all  over  the  courtyard 
below  the  slight  accumulation  of  earth,  and  found 
nothing  of  the  kind.  The  substratum  consisted 
of  rude  stones,  no  doubt  once  serving  as  a founda- 
tion for  a floor  of  cement,  which,  from  long  expo- 
sure to  the  rainy  seasons,  has  now  entirely  disap- 
peared. 


To  face  page  308,  yoI.  I, 


HOUSE  OF  THE  BIRDS. 


311 


At  the  back  of  the  last-mentioned  range  of  the 
Monjas  is  another,  or  rather  there  are  several  ranges 
of  buildings,  standing  lower  than  the  House  of  the 
Nuns,  in  irregular  order,  and  much  ruined. 

To  the  first  portion  of  these  we  gave  the  name  of 
the  House  of  the  Birds,  from  the  circumstance  of  its 


being  ornamented  on  the  exterior  with  representa- 
tions of  feathers  and  birds  rudely  sculptured.  The 


312 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


preceding  engraving  represents  a part  of  these  or- 
naments. 

The  remaining  portion  consists  of  some  very  large 
rooms,  among  which  are  two  fifty-three  feet  long, 
fourteen  wide,  and  about  twenty  high,  being  the 
largest,  or  at  least  the  widest  in  Uxmal.  In  one  of 
them  are  the  remains  of  painting  well  preserved,  and 
in  the  other  is  an  arch,  which  approaches  nearer  to 
the  principle  of  the  keystone  than  any  we  had  yet 
met  with  in  our  whole  exploration  of  ruins.  It  is 
very  similar  to  the  earliest  arches,  if  they  may  be  so 
called,  of  the  Etruscans  and  Greeks,  as  seen  at  Arpino 
in  the  kingdom  of  Naples,  and  Tiryns  in  Greece. 
(See  engravings  in  the  Appendix.) 

From  this  range  of  buildings  we  descend  to  the 
House  of  the  Dwarf,  also  known  by  the  name  of  la 
Casa  del  Adivino,  or  the  House  of  the  Diviner,  from 
its  overlooking  the  whole  city,  and  enabling  its  occu- 
pant to  be  cognizant  of  all  that  was  passing  around 
him. 

The  courtyard  of  this  building  is  one  hundred 
and  thirty-five  feet  by  eighty-five.  It  is  bounded  by 
ranges  of  mounds  from  twenty-five  to  thirty  feet 
thick,  now  covered  with  a rank  growth  of  herbage, 
but  which,  perhaps,  once  formed  ranges  of  buildings. 
In  the  centre  is  a large  circular  stone,  like  those  seen 
in  the  other  courtyards,  called  the  Picote. 

The  plate  opposite  represents  the  west  front  of 
this  building,  with  the  mound  on  which  it  stands. 
The  base  is  so  ruined  and  encumbered  with  fallen 


HOUSE  OF  THE  DWARF. 


313 


stones  that  it  is  difficult  to  ascertain  its  precise  di- 
mensions, but,  according  to  our  measurement,  it  is 
two  hundred  and  thirty-five  feet  long,  and  one  hun- 
dred and  fifty-five  wide.  Its  height  is  eighty-eight 
feet,  and  to  the  top  of  the  building  it  is  one  hundred 
and  five  feet.  Though  diminishing  as  it  rises,  its 
shape  is  not  exactly  pyramidal,  but  its  ends  are 
rounded.  It  is  encased  with  stone,  and  apparently 
solid  from  the  plain. 

A great  part  of  the  front  presented  in  the  engra- 
ving has  fallen,  and  now  lies  a mass  of  ruins  at  the 
foot  of  the  mound.  Along  the  base,  or  rather  about 
twenty  feet  up  the  mound,  and  probably  once  reach- 
ed by  a staircase,  now  ruined,  is  a range  of  curious 
apartments,  nearly  choked  up  with  rubbish,  and  with 
the  sapote  beams  still  in  their  places  over  the  door. 

At  the  height  of  sixty  feet  is  a solid  projecting 
platform,  on  which  stands  a building  loaded  wfith 
ornaments  more  rich,  elaborate,  and  carefully  exe- 
cuted, than  those  of  any  other  edifice  in  Uxmal.  A 
great  doonvay  opens  upon  the  platform.  The  sa- 
pote beams  are  still  in  their  places,  and  the  interior 
is  divided  into  twro  apartments ; the  outer  one  fif- 
teen feet  wide,  seven  feet  deep,  and  nineteen  feet 
high,  and  the  inner  one  twelve  feet  wide,  four  feet 
deep,  and  eleven  feet  high.  Both  are  entirely  plain, 
without  ornament  of  any  kind,  and  have  no  com- 
munication with  any  part  of  the  mound. 

The  steps  or  other  means  of  communication  with 
this  building  are  all  gone,  and  at  the  time  of  our 

Vol.  I. — R r 27 


314 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


visit  we  were  at  a loss  to  know  how  it  had  been 
reached ; but,  from  what  we  saw  afterward,  we  are 
induced  to  believe  that  a grand  staircase  upon  a dif- 
ferent plan  from  any  yet  met  with,  and  supported 
by  a triangular  arch,  led  from  the  ground  to  the  door 
of  the  building,  which,  if  still  in  existence,  would 
give  extraordinary  grandeur  to  this  great  mound. 

The  crowning  structure  is  a long  and  narrow 
building,  measuring  seventy-two  feet  in  front,  and 
but  twelve  feet  deep. 

The  front  is  much  ruined,  but  even  in  its  decay 
presents  the  most  elegant  and  tasteful  arrangement 
of  ornaments  to  be  seen  in  Uxmal,  of  which  no  idea 
could  be  given  in  any  but  a large  engraving.  The 
emblems  of  life  and  death  appear  on  the  wall  in 
close  juxta-position,  confirming  the  belief  in  the 
existence  of  that  worship  practised  by  the  Egyp- 
tians and  all  other  Eastern  nations,  and  before  re- 
ferred to  as  prevalent  among  the  people  of  Uxmal. 

The  interior  is  divided  into  three  apartments,  that 
in  the  centre  being  twenty-four  feet  by  seven,  and 
those  on  each  side  nineteen  feet  by  seven.  They 
have  no  communication  with  each  other ; two  have 
their  doors  opening  to  the  east  and  one  to  the  west. 

A narrow  platform  five  feet  wide  projects  from  all 
the  four  sides  of  the  building.  The  northern  end  is 
decayed,  and  part  of  the  eastern  front,  and  to  this 
front  ascends  a grand  staircase  one  hundred  and 
two  feet  high,  seventy  feet  wide,  and  containing 
ninety  steps. 


HUMAN  SACRIFICES. 


317 


The  engraving  opposite  represents  this  front. 
The  steps  are  very  narrow,  and  the  staircase  steep ; 
and  after  we  had  cleared  away  the  trees,  and  there 
were  no  branches  to  assist  us  in  climbing,  the  as- 
cent and  descent  were  difficult  and  dangerous. 
The  padre  Cogolludo,  the  historian  referred  to, 
says  that  he  once  ascended  these  steps,  and  “ that 
when  he  attempted  to  descend  he  repented ; his 
sight  failed  him,  and  he  was  in  some  danger.”  He 
adds,  that  in  the  apartments  of  the  building,  which 
he  calls  “ small  chapels,”  were  the  “ idols,”  and  that 
there  they  made  sacrifices  of  men,  women,  and  chil- 
dren. Beyond  doubt  this  lofty  building  was  a great 
Teocalis,  “El  grande  de  los  Kues,”  the  great  tem- 
ple of  idols  worshipped  by  the  people  of  Uxmal, 
consecrated  by  their  most  mysterious  rites,  the  holi- 
est of  their  holy  places.  “ The  High  Priest  had  in 
his  Hand  a large,  broad,  and  sharp  Knife  made  of 
Flint.  Another  Priest  carried  a wooden  collar 
wrought  like  a snake.  The  persons  to  be  sacrificed 
were  conducted  one  by  one  up  the  Steps,  stark  na- 
ked, and  as  soon  as  laid  on  the  Stone,  had  the  Col- 
lar put  upon  their  Necks,  and  the  four  priests  took 
hold  of  the  hands  and  feet.  Then  the  high  Priest 
with  wonderful  Dexterity  ripped  up  the  Breast,  tore 
out  the  Heart,  reeking,  with  his  Hands,  and  showed 
it  to  the  Sun,  offering  him  the  Heart  and  Steam 
that  came  from  it.  Then  he  turned  to  the  Idol, 
and  threw  it  in  his  face,  which  done,  he  kicked  the 
body  down  the  steps,  and  it  never  stopped  till  it 


318 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


came  to  the  bottom,  because  they  were  very  up- 
right and  “ one  who  had  been  a Priest,  and  had 
been  converted,  said  that  when  they  tore  out  the 
Heart  of  the  wretched  Person  sacrificed,  it  did  beat 
so  strongly  that  he  took  it  up  from  the  Ground  three 
or  four  times  till  it  cooled  by  Degrees,  and  then  he 
threw  the  Body,  still  moving,  down  the  Steps.”  In 
all  the  long  catalogue  of  superstitious  rites  that  dar- 
kens the  page  of  man’s  history,  I cannot  imagine  a 
picture  more  horribly  exciting  than  that  of  the  In- 
dian priest,  with  his  white  dress  and  long  hair  clotted 
with  gore,  performing  his  murderous  sacrifices  at  this 
lofty  height,  in  full  view  of  the  people  throughout 
the  whole  extent  of  the  city. 

From  the  top  of  this  mound  we  pass  over  the  Casa 
del  Gobernador  to  the  grand  structure  marked  on  the 
general  plan  as  the  Casa  de  Palomos,  or  the  House 
of  the  Pigeons,  the  front  of  which  is  represented  in 
the  engraving  opposite.  It  is  two  hundred  and 
forty  feet  long ; the  front  is  much  ruined,  the  apart- 
ments are  filled,  and  along  the  centre  of  the  roof, 
running  longitudinally,  is  a range  of  structures  built 
in  a pyramidal  form,  like  the  fronts  of  some  of  the 
old  Dutch  houses  that  still  remain  among  us,  but 
grander  and  more  massive.  These  are  nine  in 
number,  built  of  stone,  about  three  feet  thick,  and 
have  small  oblong  openings  through  them.  These 
openings  give  them  somewhat  the  appearance  of 
pigeon-houses,  and  from  this  the  name  of  the  build- 
ing is  derived.  All  had  once  been  covered  with 


Casa  de  Los  taLurno 


HOUSE  OF  THE  PIGEONS. 


319 


figures  and  ornaments  in  stucco,  portions  of  which 
still  remain.  The  view  presented  is  in  profile,  as 
the  full  front  could  not  be  exhibited  on  this  scale. 

In  the  centre  of  this  building  is  an  archway  ten  feet 
wide,  which  leads  into  a courtyard  one  hundred  and 
eighty  feet  long  and  one  hundred  and  fifty  feet  deep. 
In  the  centre  of  the  courtyard,  and  thrown  down,  is  the 
same  large  stone  so  often  mentioned.  On  the  right 
is  a range  of  ruined  buildings,  on  the  left  a similar 
range,  and  rising  behind  it  the  high  mound  repre- 
sented in  the  frontispiece ; and  in  front,  at  the  end 
of  the  courtyard,  is  a range  of  ruined  buildings,  with 
another  archway  in  the  centre.  Crossing  the  court- 
yard, and  passing  through  this  archway,  we  ascend 
a flight  of  steps,  now  ruined,  and  reach  another 
courtyard,  one  hundred  feet  long  by  eighty-five 
deep.  On  each  side  of  this  courtyard,  too,  is  a 
range  of  ruined  buildings,  and  at  the  other  end  is  a 
great  Teocalis,  two  hundred  feet  in  length,  one 
hundred  and  twenty  deep,  and  about  fifty  feet  high. 
A broad  staircase  leads  to  the  top,  on  which  stands 
a long  narrow  building,  one  hundred  feet  by  twenty, 
divided  into  three  apartments. 

There  was  a mournful  interest  about  this  great 
pile  of  ruins.  Entering  under  the  great  archway, 
crossing  two  noble  courtyards,  with  ruined  buildings 
on  each  side,  and  ascending  the  great  staircase  to 
the  building  on  the  top,  gave  a stronger  impression 
of  departed  greatness  than  anything  else  in  this  des- 
olate city.  It  commanded  a view  of  every  other 


320 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


building,  and  stood  apart  in  lonely  grandeur,  seldom 
disturbed  by  human  footsteps.  On  going  up  to  it 
once  Mr.  Catherwood  started  a deer,  and  at  another 
time  a wild  hog. 

At  the  northeast  angle  of  this  building  is  a vast 
range  of  high,  ruined  terraces,  facing  east  and  west, 
nearly  eight  hundred  feet  long  at  the  base,  and  call- 
ed the  Campo  Santo.  On  one  of  these  is  a build- 
ing of  two  stories,  with  some  remains  of  sculpture, 
and  in  a deep  and  overgrown  valley  at  the  foot,  the 
Indians  say,  was  the  burial-place  of  this  ancient 
city ; but,  though  searching  for  it  ourselves,  and  of- 
fering a reward  to  them  for  the  discovery,  we  never 
found  in  it  a sepulchre. 

Besides  these  there  was  the  Casa  de  la  Vieja,  or 
the  House  of  the  Old  Woman,  standing  in  ruins. 
Once,  when  the  wind  was  high,  I saw  the  remains 
of  the  front  wall  bending  before  its  force.  It  is  four 
or  five  hundred  feet  from  the  Casa  del  Gobernador, 
and  has  its  name  from  a mutilated  statue  of  an  old 
woman  lying  before  it. 

Near  by  are  other  monuments  lying  on  the 
ground,  overgrown  and  half  buried  (referred  to  in 
the  Appendix),  which  were  pointed  out  to  us  by 
the  Indians  on  our  first  visit.  North  of  this 
there  is  a circular  mound  of  ruins,  probably  of  a 
circular  building  like  that  of  Mayapan.  A wall 
which  was  said  to  encompass  the  city  is  laid  down 
on  the  plan  so  far  as  it  can  be  traced ; and  beyond 
this,  for  a great  distance  in  every  direction,  the 


CLOSE  OF  DESCRIPTION. 


321 


ground  is  strewed  with  mins ; but  with  this  brief 
description  I close.  I might  extend  it  indefinitely, 
but  I have  compressed  it  within  the  smallest  possi- 
ble limits.  We  made  plans  of  every  building  and 
drawings  of  every  sculptured  stone,  and  this  place 
alone  might  furnish  materials  for  larger  volumes 
than  these ; but  I have  so  many  and  such  vast  re- 
mains to  present  that  I am  obliged  to  avoid  details 
as  much  as  possible.  These  it  is  my  hope  at  some 
future  day  to  present  with  a minuteness  that  shall 
satisfy  the  most  craving  antiquary,  but  I trust  that 
what  I have  done  will  give  the  reader  some  definite 
idea  of  the  ruins  of  Uxmal.  Perhaps,  as  we  did,  he 
will  imagine  the  scene  that  must  have  been  pre- 
sented when  all  these  buildings  were  entire,  occu- 
pied by  people  in  costumes  strange  and  fanciful  as 
the  ornaments  on  their  buildings,  and  possessing  all 
those  minor  arts  which  must  have  been  coexistent 
with  architecture  and  sculpture,  and  which  the  im- 
perishable stone  has  survived. 

The  historic  light  which  beamed  upon  us  at  Mer- 
ida and  Mayapan  does  not  reach  this  place ; it  is 
not  mentioned  in  any  record  of  the  conquest.  The 
cloud  again  gathers,  but  even  through  it  a star  ap- 
pears. 

The  padre  Cogolludo  says,  that  on  the  memora- 
ble occasion  when  his  sight  failed  as  he  was  going 
down  the  steps  of  the  great  Teocalis,  he  found  in 
one  of  the  apartments,., or,  as  he  calls  it,  one  of  the 
chapels,  offerings  of  cacKo  and  marks  of  copal,  used 
Vol.  I. — S s 


322 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


by  the  Indians  as  incense,  burned  there  but  a short 
time  before  ; an  evidence,  he  says,  of  some  supersti- 
tion or  idolatry  recently  committed  by  the  Indians 
of  that  place.  He  piously  adds,  “ God  help  those 
poor  Indians,  for  the  devil  deceives  them  very  ea- 
sily.” 

While  in  Merida  I procured  from  Don  Simon 
Peon  the  title  papers  to  this  estate.  They  were 
truly  a formidable  pile,  compared  with  which  the 
papers  in  a protracted  chancery  or  ejectment  suit 
would  seem  a billet-doux,  and,  unfortunately,  a great 
portion  of  them  was  in  the  Maya  language ; but 
there  was  one  folio  volume  in  Spanish,  and  in  this 
was  the  first  formal  conveyance  ever  made  of  these 
lands  by  the  Spanish  government.  It  bears  date  the 
twelfth  day  of  May,  1673,  and  is  entitled  a testimo- 
nial of  royal  favour  made  to  the  Regidor  Don  Lo- 
renzo de  Evia,  of  four  leagues  of  land  (desde  los 
edificios  de  Uxmal)  from  the  buildings  of  Uxmal  to 
the  south,  one  to  the  east,  another  to  the  west,  and 
another  to  the  north,  for  his  distinguished  merits 
and  services  therein  expressed.  The  preamble  sets 
forth  that  the  Regidor  Don  Lorenzo  de  Evia,  by  a 
writing  that  he  presented  to  his  majesty,  made  a nar- 
rative showing  that  at  sixteen  leagues  from  Meri- 
da, and  three  from  the  sierra  of  the  village  of  Ticul, 
were  certain  meadows  and  places  named  Uxmal- 
checaxek,  Tzemclian-Cemin-Curea-Kusultzac,  Ex- 
muue-Hixmon-nec,  uncultivated  and  belonging  to 
the  crown,  which  the  Indians  could  not  profit  by 


TITLE  PAPERS  OF  UXMAL. 


323 


for  tillage  and  sowing,  and  which  could  only  serve 
for  horned  cattle  ; that  the  said  regidor  had  a wife 
and  children  whom  it  was  necessary  for  him  to 
maintain  for  the  service  of  the  king  in  a manner 
conforming  to  his  office,  and  that  he  wished  to  stock 
the  said  places  and  meadows  with  horned  cattle, 
and  praying  a grant  of  them  for  that  purpose  in  the 
name  of  his  majesty,  since  no  injury  could  result  to 
any  third  person,  but,  “ on  the  contrary , very  great 
service  to  God  our  Lord,  because  with  that  establish- 
ment it  would  prevent  the  Indians  in  those  places 
from  worshipping  the  devil  in  the  ancient  buildings 
which  are  there , having  in  them  their  idols , to  ivhich 
they  burn  copal , and  performing  other  detestable  sac- 
rifices, as  they  are  doing  every  day  notoriously  and 
publicly” 

Following  this  is  a later  instrument,  dated  the 
third  of  December,  1687,  the  preamble  of  which 
recites  the  petition  of  the  Captain  Lorenzo  deEvia, 
setting  forth  the  grant  above  referred  to,  and  that  an 
Indian  named  Juan  Can  had  importuned  him  with 
a claim  of  right  to  the  said  lands  on  account  of  his 
being  a descendant  of  the  ancient  Indians,  to  whom 
they  belonged ; that  the  Indian  had  exhibited  some 
confused  papers  and  maps,  and  that,  although  it  was 
not  possible  for  him  to  justify  the  right  that  he  claim- 
ed, to  avoid  litigation,  he,  the  said  Don  Lorenzo  de 
Evia,  agreed  to  give  him  seventy-four  dollars  for  the 
price  and  value  of  the  said  land.  The  petition  in- 
troduces the  deed  of  consent,  or  quit-claim,  of  Juan 


324 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


Can,  executed  with  all  the  formalities  required  in 
the  case  of  Indians  (the  original  of  which  appears 
among  the  other  title  papers),  and  prays  a confirma- 
tion of  his  former  grant,  and  to  be  put  in  real  and 
corporeal  possession.  The  instrument  confirms  the 
former  grant,  and  prescribes  the  formal  mo^e  of  ob- 
taining possession. 

Under  the  deed  of  confirmation  appears  the  need 
of  livery  of  seisin,  beginning,  “ In  the  place  called 
the  edifices  of  Uxmal  and  its  lands,  the  third  day 
of  the  month  of  January,  1688,”  &c.,  &c.,  and  con- 
cluding with  these  words  : “ In  virtue  of  the  power 
and  authority  which  by  the  same  title  is  given  to 
me  by  the  said  governor,  complying  with  its  terms, 
I took  by  the  hand  the  said  Lorenzo  de  Evia,  and 
lie  walked  with  me  all  over  Uxmal  and  its  buildings, 
opened  and  shut  some  doors  that  had  several  rooms, 
cut  within  the  space  some  trees,  picked  up  fallen 
stones  and  threw  them  down,  drew  water  from  one 
of  the  aguadas  of  the  said  place  of  Uxmal,  and  per- 
formed other  acts  of  possession.” 

The  reader  will  perceive  that  we  have  here  two 
distinct,  independent  witnesses  testifying  that,  one 
hundred  and  forty  years  after  the  foundation  of 
Merida,  the  buildings  of  Uxmal  were  regarded  with 
reverence  by  the  Indians  ; that  they  formed  the  nu- 
cleus of  a dispersed  and  scattered  population,  and 
were  resorted  to  for  the  observance  of  religious  rites 
at  a distance  from  the  eyes  of  the  Spaniards.  Co- 
golludo  saw  in  the  House  of  the  Dwarf  the  “ marks 


OF  THE  ANTIQUITY  OF  UXMAL.  325 

of  copal  recently  burned,”  “ the  evidence  of  some 
idolatry  recently  committed and  the  private  title 
papers  of  Don  Simon,  never  intended  to  illustrate 
any  point  in  history,  besides  showing  incidentally 
that  it  was  the  policy  of  the  government,  and  “ do- 
ing God  service,”  to  break  up  the  Indian  customs, 
and  drive  the  natives  away  from  their  consecrated 
buildings,  are  proofs,  which  would  be  good  evidence 
in  a court  of  law,  that  the  Indians  were,  at  the  time 
referred  to,  openly  and  notoriously  worshipping  El 
Demonio,  and  performing  other  detestable  sacrifices 
in  these  ancient  buildings.  Can  it  be  supposed  that 
edifices  in  which  they  were  thus  worshipping,  and 
to  which  they  were  clinging  with  such  tenacity  as 
to  require  to  be  driven  away,  were  the  buildings  of 
another  race,  or  did  they  cling  to  them  because 
they  were  adapted  to  the  forms  and  ceremonies 
received  from  their  fathers,  and  because  they  were 
the  same  in  which  their  fathers  had  worshipped  ? 
In  my  mind  there  is  but  little  question  as  to  the 
fair  interpretation  to  be  put  upon  these  acts,  and  I 
may  add  that,  according  to  the  deed  of  the  notary, 
but  one  hundred  and  fifty-four  years  ago  the  ruined 
buildings  of  Uxmal  had  “ doors”  which  could  be 
“ opened”  and  “ shut.” 


28 


326 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


CHAPTER  XV. 

Attacks  from  Fever  and  Ague. — Final  Departure  from  Uxmal. — 
Newyear’s  Day.  — Fate  of  Ckaipa  Chi. — Painful  Journey.  — 
Chetulish. — Arrival  at  Nohcacab. — Concourse  of  Indians. — A 
Casa  Real. — Plaza. — Improvements. — The  Church. — A Noria, 
or  Well. — Municipal  Elections. — The  Democratic  Principle. — 
Installation  of  Alcaldes. — Illness  of  the  Cura  of  Ticul. — Set  out 
for  Ticul. — Intoxicated  Carriers. — Accident. — Arrival  at  Ticul. 
— A wandering  Physician. — Changed  Appearance  of  the  Cura. 
— Return  to  Nohcacab. — Take  up  Quarters  in  the  Convent.  — 
Ancient  Town  of  Nohcacab. — Ruined  Mounds. — Ruins  ofXcoch. 
— A Mysterious  Well. — Fine  Grove. — Circular  Cavity. — Mouth 
of  the  Well. — Exploration  of  its  Passages. — Uses  of  the  Well. 
— Return  to  the  Village. — Fatal  Accident. — A House  of  Mourn- 
ing.— Ceremony  of  El  Velorio. 

The  reader,  perhaps,  is  now  anxious  to  hurry 
away  from  Uxmal,  but  he  cannot  be  more  anxious 
to  do  so  than  we  were.  We  had  finished  our  work, 
had  resolved  on  the  day  for  our  departure,  and  had 
determined  to  devote  the  intermediate  time  to  getting 
out  of  the  wall  and  collecting  together  some  orna- 
ments for  removal,  and,  having  got  the  Indians 
fairly  at  work,  we  set  about  making  some  farewell 
Daguerreotype  views.  While  working  the  camera 
under  a blazing  sun  in  the  courtyard  of  the  Monjas, 
I received  a note  from  Mr.  Catherwood  advising 
me  that  his  time  had  come,  that  he  had  a chill, 
and  was  then  in  bed.  Presently  a heavy  rain  came 
down,  from  which  I took  refuge  in  a damp  apart- 
ment, where  I was  obliged  to  remain  so  long  that  I 
became  perfectly  chilled.  On  my  return,  I had  a 


FINAL  DEPARTURE  FROM  UXMAL.  327 

severe  relapse,  and  in  the  evening  Dr.  Cabot,  de- 
pressed by  the  state  of  tilings,  and  out  of  pure  sym- 
pathy, joined  us.  Our  servants  went  away,  we 
were  all  three  pinned  to  our  beds  together,  and  de- 
termined forthwith  to  leave  Uxmal. 

The  next  day  it  rained  again,  and  we  passed  the 
hours  in  packing  up,  always  a disagreeable  opera- 
tion, and  then  painfully  so.  The  next  day  we  de- 
parted, perhaps  forever,  from  the  Casa  del  Gober- 
nador. 

As  we  descended  the  steps,  Mr.  C.  suggested 
that  it  was  Newyear’s  day.  It  was  the  first  time 
this  fact  had  presented  itself ; it  called  up  scenes 
strikingly  contrasted  with  our  own  miserable  con- 
dition, and  for  the  moment  we  would  have  been 
glad  to  be  at  home.  Our  coches  were  in  readiness 
at  the  foot  of  the  terrace,  and  we  crawled  in ; the 
Indians  raised  us  upon  their  shoulders,  and  we  were 
in  motion  from  Uxmal.  There  was  no  danger  of 
our  incurring  the  penalty  of  Lot’s  wife ; we  never 
looked  back ; all  the  interest  we  had  felt  in  the 
place  was  gone,  and  we  only  wanted  to  get  away. 
Silent  and  desolate  as  we  found  them,  we  left  the 
ruins  of  Uxmal,  again  to  be  overgrown  with  trees, 
to  crumble  and  fall,  and  perhaps,  in  a few  gener- 
ations, to  become,  like  others  scattered  over  the 
country,  mere  shapeless  and  nameless  mounds. 

Our  housekeeping  and  household  were  again 
broken  up.  Albino  and  Bernaldo  followed  us,  and 
as  we  passed  along  the  edge  of  the  milpa,  half  hid- 


328 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


den  among  the  cornstalks  was  the  stately  figure  of 
Chaipa  Chi.  She  seemed  to  be  regarding  us  with 
a mournful  gaze.  Alas  ! poor  Chaipa  Chi,  the 
white  man’s  friend ! never  again  will  she  make  tor- 
tillas for  the  Ingleses  in  Uxmal ! A month  after- 
ward she  was  borne  to  the  campo  santo  of  the  ha- 
cienda. The  sun  and  rain  are  beating  upon  her 
grave.  Her  bones  will  soon  bleach  on  the  rude 
charnel  pile,  and  her  skull  may  perhaps  one  day,  by 
the  hands  of  some  unscrupulous  traveller,  be  con- 
veyed to  Doctor  S.  G.  Morton  of  Philadelphia. 

Our  departure  from  Uxmal  was  such  a complete 
rout,  that  it  really  had  in  it  something  of  the  ludi- 
crous, but  we  were  not  in  condition  to  enjoy  it  at 
the  time.  Notwithstanding  the  comparatively  easy 
movement  of  the  coche,  both  Mr.  C.  and  I suffered 
excessively,  for,  being  made  of  poles  hastily  tied  to- 
gether, the  vehicle  yielded  under  the  irregular  steps 
of  the  carriers.  At  the  distance  of  two  leagues  they 
laid  us  down  under  a large  seybo  tree,  opposite  the 
hacienda  of  Chetulish,  part  of  the  domain  of  Uxmal. 
As  if  in  mockery  of  us,  the  Indians  were  all  out  of 
doors  in  holyday  dresses,  celebrating  the  opening 
of  the  new  year.  We  remained  a short  time  for 
our  carriers  to  rest,  and  in  two  hours  we  reached 
the  village  of  Nohcacab,  and  were  laid  down  at  the 
door  of  the  casa  real.  When  we  crawled  out,  the 
miserable  Indians  who  had  borne  us  on  their  shoul- 
ders were  happy  compared  with  us. 

The  arrival  of  three  Ingleses  was  an  event  with- 


VILLAGE  OF  NOHCACAB. 


329 


out  precedent  in  the  history  of  the  village.  There 
was  a general  curiosity  to  see  us,  increased  by 
knowledge  of  the  extraordinary  and  unaccountable 
purpose  for  which  we  were  visiting  the  country. 
The  circumstance  of  its  being  a fete  day  had  drawn 
together  into  the  plaza  all  the  people  of  the  village, 
and  an  unusual  concourse  of  Indians  from  the  sub- 
urbs, most  of  whom  gathered  round  our  door,  and 
those  who  dared  came  inside  to  gaze  upon  us  as  we 
lay  in  our  hammocks.  These  adventurous  persons 
were  only  such  as  were  particularly  intoxicated, 
which  number,  however,  included  on  that  day  a 
large  portion  of  the  respectable  community  of  Noh- 
cacab.  They  seemed  to  have  just  enough  of  rea- 
son left,  or  rather  of  instinct,  to  know  that  they 
might  offend  by  intruding  upon  white  men,  and 
made  up  for  it  by  exceeding  submissiveness  of  man- 
ner and  good  nature. 

We  were  at  first  excessively  annoyed  by  the 
number  of  visiters  and  the  noise  of  the  Indians  with- 
out, who  kept  up  a continued  beating  on  the  tun- 
kul,  or  Indian  drum ; but  by  degrees  our  pains  left 
us,  and,  with  the  comfortable  reflection  that  we  had 
escaped  from  the  pernicious  atmosphere  of  Uxmal, 
toward  evening  we  were  again  on  our  feet. 

The  casa  real  is  the  public  building  in  every  vil- 
lage, provided  by  the  royal  government  for  the  au- 
dienzia  and  other  public  offices,  and,  like  the  cabil- 
do  of  Central  America,  is  intended  to  contain  apart- 
ments for  travellers.  In  the  village  of  Nohcacab, 

Vol.  I. — T T 


330 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


however,  the  arrival  of  strangers  was  so  rare  an  oc- 
currence that  no  apartment  was  assigned  expressly 
for  their  accommodation.  That  given  to  us  was 
the  principal  room  of  the  building,  used  for  the  great 
occasions  of  the  village,  and  during  the  week  it  was 
occupied  as  a public  schoolroom ; but,  fortunately 
for  us,  being  Newyear’s  Day,  the  boys  had  holy- 
day. 

It  was  about  forty  feet  long  and  twenty-five  wide. 
The  furniture  consisted  of  a very  high  table  and 
some  very  low  chairs,  and  in  honour  of  the  day  the 
doors  were  trimmed  with  branches  of  cocoanut  tree. 
The  walls  were  whitewashed,  and  at  one  end  was 
an  eagle  holding  in  his  beak  a coiled  serpent,  tear- 
ing it  also  with  his  claws.  Under  this  were  some 
indescribable  figures,  and  a sword,  gun,  and  can- 
non, altogether  warlike  emblems  for  the  peaceful  vil- 
lage which  had  never  heard  the  sound  of  hostile 
trumpet.  On  one  side  of  the  eagle’s  beak  was  a 
scroll  with  the  words  “ Sala  Consistorial  Republi- 
cana,  Ano  1828.”  The  other  had  contained  the 
words  “ El  Systema  Central,”  but  on  the  triumph 
of  the  Federal  party  the  brush  had  been  drawn  over 
it,  and  nothing  was  substituted  in  its  place,  so  that 
it  was  all  ready  to  be  restored  in  case  the  Central 
party  returned  to  power.  On  the  wall  hung  a pa- 
per containing  a “ notice  to  the  public”  in  Spanish 
and  the  Maya  language,  that  his  Excellency  the 
Governor  of  the  State  had  allowed  to  this  village 
the  establishment  of  a school  of  first  letters  for 


IMPROVEMENT. 


331 


teaching  children  to  read, .write,  count,  and  the  doc- 
trines of  the  holy  Catholic  religion  ; that  fathers 
and  other  heads  of  families  should  send  their  chil- 
dren to  it,  and  that,  being  endowed  by  the  public 
funds,  it  should  not  cost  a medio  real  to  any  one. 
It  was  addressed  to  vecinos,  or  white  people,  indi- 
genos,  or  Indians,  and  other  classes,  meaning  Mes- 
tizoes. 

On  one  side  of  this  principal  room  was  the  quar- 
tel,  with  the  garrison,  which  consisted  of  seven  sol- 
diers, militia,  three  or  four  of  whom  were  down  with 
fever  and  ague.  On  the  other  was  the  prison  with 
its  grated  door,  and  one  gentleman  in  misfortune 
looking  through  the  grating. 

• This  building  occupied  all  one  side  of  the  plaza. 
The  village  was  the  only  one  I had  seen  that  gave 
any  indications  of  “ improvement and  certainly  I 
had  not  seen  any  that  needed  it  more.  The  plaza 
was  the  poorest  in  appearance,  and  at  that  time  wTas 
worse  than  usual.  It  had  been  laid  out  on  a hill- 
side, and  the  improvement  then  going  on  was  ma- 
king it  level.  There  was  a great  pile  of  earth 
thrown  up  in  the  centre,  and  the  houses  oil  one  side 
had  their  foundations  laid  bare,  so  that  they  could 
only  be  entered  by  means  of  ladders  ; and  it  was 
satisfactory  to  learn  that  the  alcaldes  who  had  plan- 
ned the  improvement  had  got  themselves  into  as 
much  trouble  as  our  aldermen  sometimes  do  in  lay- 
ing out  new  streets. 

From  the  door  of  the  casa  real  two  striking  ob- 


332 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


jects  were  in  sight,  one  of  which,  grand  in  propor- 
tions and  loftily  situated,  was  the  great  church  I had 
seen  from  the  top  of  the  sierra  in  coming  from  Ti- 
cul ; the  other  was  the  noria,  or  well.  This  was  an 
oblong  enclosure  with  high  stone  walls,  and  a roof 
of  palm  leaves  at  one  end,  under  which  a mule  was 
going  round  continually  with  a beam,  drawing  water 
into  a large  oblong  basin  cemented,  from  which  the 
women  of  the  village  were  filling  their  water-jars. 

In  our  stroll  out  of  doors  our  Indian  carriers  es- 
pied us,  and  came  staggering  toward  us  in  a body, 
giving  us  to  understand  that  they  were  oveijoyed  at 
seeing  us,  and  congratulating  us  upon  our  recovery. 
They  had  not  had  a fair  start  with  the  Indians 
of  the  village,  but  they  had  been  expeditious,  and,  by 
making  good  use  of  their  time  and  the  money  we 
paid  them,  were  as  thoroughly  intoxicated  as  the 
best  in  Nohcacab.  Still  they  were  good-natured  as 
children,  and,  as  usual,  each  one  concluded  his  lit- 
tle speech  with  begging  a medio. 

The  North  American  Indian  is  by  drinking  made 
insolent,  ferocious,  and  brutal,  and  with  a knife  in 
his  hand*he  is  always  a dangerous  character;  but 
the  Indians  of  Yucatan  when  intoxicated  are  onlv 
more  docile  and  submissive.  All  wear  machetes, 
but  they  never  use  them  to  do  harm. 

We  endeavoured  to  persuade  our  bearers  to  re- 
turn to  the  hacienda  before  their  money  was  all 
spent,  and  at  length,  giving  us  to  understand  that  it 
was  in  obedience  to  us,  they  went  away.  We 


CONTESTED  ELECTION. 


333 


watched  them  as  they  reeled  down  the  road,  which 
they  seemed  to  find  hardly  wide  enough  for  one 
abreast,  turning  to  look  back  and  make  us  another 
reverence,  and  at  length,  when  out  of  our  reach, 
they  all  stopped,  sat  down  in  the  road,  and  again 
took  to  their  bottles. 

We  had  arrived  at  Nohcacab  at  an  interesting 
and  exciting  moment.  The  village  had  just  gone 
through  the  agony  of  a contested  election.  During 
the  administration  of  the  last  alcalde,  various  impor- 
tant causes,  among  which  were  the  improvements  in 
the  plaza,  had  roused  the  feelings  of  the  whole 
community,  and  a strong  notion  prevailed,  particu- 
larly among  the  aspirants  to  office,  that  the  republic 
was  in  danger  unless  the  alcaldes  were  changed. 
This  feeling  extended  through  all  classes,  and, 
through  the  interposition  of  Providence,  as  it  was 
considered  by  the  successful  party,  the  alcaldes  were 
changed,  and  the  republic  saved. 

The  municipal  elections  of  Nohcacab  are,  per- 
haps, more  important  than  those  of  any  other  village 
in  the  state.  The  reader  is  aware  of  the  great 
scarcity  of  water  in  Yucatan  ; that  there  are  no 
rivers,  streams,  or  fountains,  and,  except  in  the 
neighbourhood  of  aguadas,  no  water  but  what  is 
obtained  from  wells.  Nohcacab  has  three  public 
wells,  and  it  has  a population  of  about  six  thousand 
entirely  dependant  upon  them.  Two  of  these  wells 
are  called  norias,  being  larger  and  more  considera- 
ble structures,  in  which  the  water  is  drawn  by 


334 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL 


mules,  and  the  third  is  simply  a poso,  or  well,  hav- 
ing merely  a cross-beam  over  the  mouth,  at  which 
each  comer  draws  with  his  own  bucket  and  rope. 
For  leagues  around  there  is  no  water  except  that 
furnished  by  these  wells.  All  the  Indians  have 
their  huts  or  places  of  residence  in  the  village,  with- 
in reach  of  the  wells ; and  when  they  go  to  work 
on  their  milpas,  which  are  sometimes  several  miles 
distant,  they  are  obliged  to  carry  a supply  with 
them.  Every  woman  who  goes  to  the  noria  for  a 
cantaro  of  "water  carries  a handful  of  corn,  which  she 
drops  in  a place  provided  for  that  purpose  : this 
tribute  is  intended  for  the  maintenance  of  the  mules, 
and  we  paid  two  cents  for  the  drinking  of  each  of 
our  horses. 


THE  DEMOCRATIC  PRINCIPLE.  335 

The  custody  and  preservation  of  these  wells  are 
an  important  part  of  the  administration  of  the  vil- 
lage government.  Thirty  Indians  are  elected  every 
year,  who  are  called  alcaldes  of  the  wells,  and 
whose  business  it  is  to  keep  them  in  good  order, 
and  the  tanks  constantly  supplied  with  water. 
They  receive  no  pay,  but  are  exempted  from  cer- 
tain obligations  and  services,  which  makes  the  of- 
fice desirable ; and  no  small  object  of  the  political 
struggle  through  which  the  village  had  passed,  was 
to  change  the  alcaldes  of  the  wells.  Buried  among 
the  ruins  of  Uxmal,  the  news  of  this  important  elec- 
tion had  not  reached  us. 

Though  practically  enduring,  in  some  respects,  the 
appendages  of  an  aristocratic  government,  the  In- 
dians who  carried  us  on  their  shoulders,  and  our 
loads  on  their  backs,  have  as  good  votes  as  their 
masters ; and  it  was  painful  to  have  lost  the  oppor- 
tunity of  seeing  the  democratic  principle  in  opera- 
tion among  the  only  true  and  real  native  American 
party ; the  spectacle  being,  as  we  were  told,  in  the 
case  of  the  hacienda  Indians,  one  of  exceeding  im- 
pressiveness, not  to  say  sublimity.  These,  being  cri- 
ados,  or  servants,  in  debt  to  their  masters  and  their 
bodies  mortgaged,  go  up  to  the  village  unanimous 
in  opinion  and  purpose,  without  partiality  or  preju- 
dice, either  in  favour  of  or  against  particular  men 
or  measures  ; they  have  no  bank  questions,  nor 
questions  of  internal  improvement,  to  consider ; no 
angry  discussions  about  the  talents,  private  charac- 


336 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


ters,  or  public  services  of  candidates ; and,  above  all, 
they  are  free  from  the  degrading  imputation  of  man 
worship,  for  in  general  they  have  not  the  least  idea 
for  whom  they  are  voting.  All  they  have  to  do  is 
to  put  into  a box  a little  piece  of  paper  given  to 
them  by  the  master  or  major  domo,  for  which  they 
are  to  have  a holy  day.  The  only  danger  is  that, 
in  the  confusion  of  greeting  acquaintances,  they 
may  get  their  papers  changed  ; and  when  this  hap- 
pens, they  are  almost  invariably  found  soon  after 
committing  some  offence  against  hacienda  disci- 
pline, for  which  these  independent  electors  are 
pretty  sure  to  get  flogged  by  the  major  domo. 

In  the  villages  the  indifference  to  political  dis- 
tinctions, and  the  discrimination  of  the  public  in 
rewarding  unobtrusive  merit,  are  no  less  worthy  of 
admiration,  for  Indian  alcaldes  are  frequently  elect- 
ed without  being  aware  that  they  have  been  held  up 
for  the  suffrages  of  their  fellow-citizens ; they  pass 
the  day  of  election  on  the  ground,  and  go  home 
without  knowing  anything  about  it.  The  night  be- 
fore their  term  is  to  commence  the  retiring  function- 
aries go  round  the  village  and  catch  these  uncon- 
scious favourites  of  the  people,  put  them  into  the  ca- 
bildo,  and  keep  them  together  all  night,  that  they 
may  be  at  hand  in  the  morning  to  receive  the  staves 
and  take  the  oath  of  office. 

These  little  peculiarities  were  told  to  us  as  facts, 
and  of  such  a population  I can  believe  them  to  be 
true.  At  all  events,  the  term  of  the  incumbent  offi- 


INSTALLATION  OF  ALCALDES. 


337 


cers  was  just  expiring ; the  next  morning  the  grand 
ceremony  of  the  inauguration  was  to  take  place,  and 
the  Indians  going  out  of  office  were  actively  enga- 
ged in  hunting  up  their  successors  and  bringing  them 
together  in  the  cabildo.  Before  retiring  we  went  in 
with  the  padrecito  to  look  at  them.  Most  of  them 
had  been  brought  in,  but  some  were  still  wanting. 
They  were  sitting  round  a large  table,  on  which  lay 
the  record  of  their  election;  and,  to  beguile  the  te- 
diousness of  their  honourable  imprisonment,  they  had 
instruments  by  them,  called  musical,  which  kept  up  a 
terrible  noise  all  night.  Whatever  were  the  circum- 
stances of  their  election,  their  confinement  for  the 
night  was,  no  doubt,  a wise  precaution,  to  ensure 
their  being  sober  in  the  morning. 

When  we  opened  our  door  the  next  day,  the 
whole  village  was  in  commotion,  preparatory  to  the 
august  ceremony  of  installing  the  new  alcaldes. 
The  Indians  had  slept  off  the  debauch  of  the  New- 
year,  and  in  clean  dresses  thronged  the  plaza  ; the 
great  steps  ascending  to  the  church  and  the  plat- 
form in  front  were  filled  with  Indian  women  dress- 
ed in  white,  and  near  the  door  was  a group  of  la- 
dies, with  mantas  and  veils,  and  the  costume  of  the 
senoras  in  the  capital.  The  morning  air  was  fresh 
and  invigorating  ; there  were  no  threatening  clouds 
in  the  sky,  and  the  sun  was  pouring  its  early  beams 
upon  the  scene  of  rejoicing.  It  was  a great  triumph 
of  principle,  and  the  humble  mules  which  trod  their 
daily  circle  with  the  beam  of  the  noria,  had  red  rib- 
Vol  I.— Uu  29 


338 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


ands  round  their  necks,  hung  with  half  dollar  and 
two  shilling  pieces,  in  token  of  rejoicing  at  the 
change  of  the  alcaldes  of  the  wells. 

At  seven  o’clock  the  old  alcaldes  took  their  seats 
for  the  last  time,  and  administered  the  oath  of  office 
to  their  successors,  after  which  a procession  formed 
for  the  church.  The  padrecito  led  the  way,  ac- 
companied by  the  new  alcaldes.  They  were  dress- 
ed in  black  body-coats  and  black  hats,  which,  as  we 
had  not  seen  such  things  since  we  left  Merida, 
among  the  white  dresses  and  straw  hats  around 
seemed  a strange  costume.  Then  followed  the  In- 
dian officials,  each  with  his  staff  of  office,  and  the 
rest  of  the  crowd  in  the  plaza.  Grand  mass  was 
said,  after  which  the  padrecito  sprinkled  the  new 
alcaldes  with  holy  water,  and  withdrew  into  his 
room  in  the  convent  to  take  chocolate.  We  fol- 
lowed him,  and  about  the  same  time  the  whole 
body  of  new  officers  entered.  The  white  alcaldes 
all  came  up  and  shook  hands  with  us,  and  while 
the  padrecito  was  raising  his  chocolate  to  his  lips, 
the  Indians  went  one  by  one  and  kissed  his  hand 
without  disturbing  his  use  of  it.  During  this  time 
he  asked  us  what  we  thought  of  the  muchachas,  or 
girls  of  the  village,  whether  they  would  compare 
with  those  of  our  country,  and,  still  sipping  his 
chocolate,  made  an  address  to  the  Indians,  telling 
them  that,  although  they  were  great  in  respect  to 
the  other  Indians,  yet  in  respect  to  the  principal 
alcaldes  they  were  but  small  men ; and,  after  much 


ILLNESS  OF  THE  CURA  OF  TICUL.  339 

other  good  advice,  he  concluded  by  telling  them 
that  they  were  to  execute  the  laws  and  obey  their 
superiors. 

At  nine  o’clock  we  returned  to  our  quarters, 
where,  either  by  reason  of  our  exertion,  or  from  the 
regular  course  of  the  disease,  we  all  had  a recur- 
rence of  fever,  and  were  obliged  to  betake  ourselves 
to  our  hammocks.  While  in  this  condition  the  pa- 
drecito  came  in  with  a letter  he  had  just  received 
from  Ticul,  bringing  intelligence  that  the  cura  had 
passed  a fatal  night,  and  was  then  dying.  His  min- 
istro  had  written  to  us  at  the  ruins,  advising  us  of 
his  continued  indisposition  and  inability  to  join  us, 
but,  until  our  arrival  at  Nohcacab,  we  had  no  inti- 
mation that  his  illness  wras  considered  dangerous. 
The  intelligence  was  sudden  and  most  afflicting. 
It  was  so  short  a time  since  we  had  parted  with  him 
to  meet  again  at  Uxmal,  his  kindness  was  so  fresh  in 
our  recollection,  that  we  would  have  gone  to  him 
immediately,  but  we  were  fastened  to  our  ham- 
mocks. 

His  illness  had  created  a great  sensation  among 
the  Indians  of  Ticul.  They  said  that  he  was  going 
to  die,  and  that  it  was  a visitation  of  God  for  dig- 
ging up  the  bones  in  San  Francisco;  this  rumour 
became  wilder  as  it  spread,  and  was  not  confined 
to  the  Indians.  An  intelligent  Mestizo  lad  belong- 
ing to  the  village  came  over  with  the  report,  which 
he  repeated  to  gaping  listeners,  that  the  poor  cura 
lay  on  his  back  with  his  hands  clasped  on  his  breast, 


340 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


crying  out,  in  a deep,  sepulchral  voice,  every  ten 
minutes  by  the  watch,  “ Devuelve  esos  huesos.” 
“ Restore  those  bones.” 

We  heard  that  he  had  with  him  accidentally  an 
English  physician,  though  we  could  not  make  any 
English  of  the  name.  Our  fever  might  leave  us  in 
a few  hours,  and  with  the  desperate  hope  that  we 
might  arrive  in  time  for  Doctor  Cabot’s  skill  to  be 
of  some  use  to  him,  or,  if  not,  to  bid  him  a last  fare- 
well, we  requested  the  padrecito  to  procure  coches 
and  Indians  by  two  o’clock  in  the  afternoon. 

Two  fete  days  in  succession  were  rather  too 
much  for  the  Indians  of  Nohcacab.  In  about  an 
hour  one  of  the  new  alcaldes  came  to  tell  us  that, 
in  celebrating  the  choice  of  their  new  officers,  the 
independent  electors  had  all  become  so  tipsy  that 
competent  men  could  be  found  for  only  one  co- 
che.  Perhaps  it  would  have  been  difficult  for  the 
alcaldes  to  know  whether  their  immediate  condi- 
tion was  really  the  fruit  of  that  day’s  celebration  or 
a holding  over  from  Newyear’s  Day,  but  the  ef- 
fect was  the  same  so  far  as  we  were  concerned. 

The  alcaldes  and  the  padrecito,  however,  appre- 
ciated our  motives,  and  knew  it  was  utterly  impos- 
sible for  us  to  go  on  horseback,  so  that,  with  great 
exertions,  by  two  o’clock  the  requisite  number 
came  reeling  and  staggering  into  the  room.  We 
were  still  in  our  hammocks,  uncertain  whether  it 
would  be  possible  to  go  at  all,  and  their  appearance 


ROUGH  TRAVELLING. 


341 


did  not  encourage  us,  for  they  seemed  unable  to 
carry  themselves  on  their  feet,  much  less  us  on 
their  shoulders.  However,  we  got  them  out  of  the 
room,  and  told  them  to  get  the  coches  ready.  At 
three  o’clock  we  crawled  into  the  vehicles,  and  in 
the  mean  time  our  carriers  had  taken  another  drink. 
It  seemed  foolhardy  to  trust  ourselves  to  such  men, 
particularly  as  we  had  to  cross  the  sierra,  the  most 
dangerous  road  in  the  country  ; but  the  alcaldes  said 
they  were  hombres  de  bien,  men  of  good  character 
and  conduct ; that  they  would  be  sober  before  the 
first  league  w^  passed ; and  with  this  encourage- 
ment we  started.  T he  sun  was  still  scorching  hot, 
and  came  in  directly  upon  the  back  of  my  head. 
My  carriers  set  off  on  a full  run,  which  they  continued 
for  perhaps  a mile,  when  they  moderated  their  pace, 
and,  talking  and  laughing  all  the  time,  toward  even- 
ing they  set  me  down  on  the  ground.  I scrambled 
out  of  the  coche ; the  freshness  of  the  evening  air 
was  reviving,  and  we  waited  till  Doctor  Cabot  came 
up.  He  had  had  a much  worse  time  than  I,  his 
carriers  happening  to  be  more  intoxicated. 

It  was  nearly  dark  when  we  reached  the  foot  of 
the  sierra,  and,  as  we  ascended,  the  clouds  threaten- 
ed rain.  Before,  it  had  been  an  object  to  leave  the 
coche  as  open  and  airy  as  possible,  on  account  of 
the  heat,  but  now  it  was  a greater  object  to  avoid 
getting  wet,  and  I had  everything  fastened  down  on 
the  sides.  On  the  top  of  the  sierra  the  rain  came 
on,  and  the  Indians  hurried  down  as  fast  as  the 


342 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


darkness  and  the  ruggedness  of  the  road  would  per- 
mit. This  road  required  care  on  horseback  and  by 
daylight ; but  as  the  Indians  were  now  sober,  and  I 
had  great  confidence  in  their  sureness  of  foot,  I had 
no  apprehensions,  when  all  at  once  I felt  the  coche 
going  over,  and,  pinned  in  as  I was,  unable  to  help 
myself,  with  a frightful  crash  it  came  down  on  its  side. 
My  fear  was  that  it  would  go  over  a precipice  ; 
but  the  Indians  on  the  upper  side  held  on,  and  I got 
out  with  considerable  celerity.  The  rain  was  pour- 
ing, and  it  was  so  dark  that  I could  see  nothing.  My 
shoulder  and  side  were  bruised,  but,  f&ttunately,  none 
of  the  Indians  were  missing,  and  they  all  gathered 
round,  apparently  more  frightened  than  I was  hurt. 
If  the  accident  had  been  worse,  I could  not  have 
blamed  them ; for  in  such  darkness,  and  on  such  a 
road,  it  was  a wonder  how  they  could  get  along  at 
all.  W e righted  the  coche,  arranged  things  as  well 
as  we  could,  and  in  due  season  I was  set  down  at 
the  door  of  the  convent.  I stumbled  up  the  steps 
and  knocked  at  the  door,  but  the  good  cura  was  not 
there  to  welcome  me.  Perhaps  we  had  arrived  too 
late,  and  all  was  over.  At  the  extreme  end  of  the 
long  corridor  I saw  a ray  of  light,  and,  groping  my 
way  toward  it,  entered  a cloister,  in  which  a num- 
ber of  Indians  were  busily  employed  making  fire- 
works. The  cura  had  been  taken  to  the  house  of 
his  sister-in-law,  and  we  sent  one  of  them  over  to 
give  notice  of  our  arrival.  Very  soon  we  saw  a 
lantern  crossing  the  plaza,  and  recognised  the  long 


A WANDERING  PHYSICIAN.  343 

gown  of  the  padre  Brizeno,  whose  letter  to  the  pa- 
drecito  had  been  the  occasion  of  our  coming.  It 
had  been  written  early  in  the  morning,  when  there 
was  no  hope  ; but  within  the  last  six  hours  a fa- 
vourable change  had  taken  place,  and  the  crisis  had 
passed.  Perhaps  no  two  men  were  ever  more  glad 
than  the  doctor  and  myself  at  finding  their  journey 
bootless.  Doctor  Cabot  was  even  more  relieved 
than  I ; for,  besides  the  apprehension  that  we  might 
arrive  too  late,  or  barely  in  time  to  be  present  at  the 
cura’s  death,  the  doctor  had  that  of  finding  him  un- 
der the  hands  of  one  from  whom  it  would  be  ne- 
cessary to  extricate  him,  and  still  his  interference 
might  not  be  effectual. 

As  a matter  of  professional  etiquette,  Doctor  Ca- 
bot proposed  to  call  upon  the  English  physician. 
His  house  was  shut  up,  and  he  was  already  in  his 
hammock,  being  himself  suffering  from  calentura, 
for  which  he  had  just  taken  a warm  bath ; but  be- 
fore the  door  was  opened  we  were  satisfied  that  he 
was  really  an  Ingles.  It  seemed  a strange  thing  to 
meet,  in  this  little  village  in  the  interior  of  Yucatan, 
one  speaking  our  own  language,  but  the  circuitous 
road  by  which  he  had  reached  it  was  not  less 
strange. 

Doctor  Fasnet,  or  Fasnach  as  he  was  called, 
was  a small  man,  considerably  upward  of  fifty. 
Thirty  years  before  he  had  emigrated  to  Jamaica, 
and,  after  wandering  among  the  West  India  Isl- 
ands, had  gone  over  to  the  continent;  and  there 


344 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


was  hardly  a country  in  Spanish  America  in  which 
he  had  not  practised  the  healing  art.  With  an  un- 
controllable antipathy  to  revolutions,  it  had  been 
his  lot  to  pass  the  greater  part  of  his  life  in  coun- 
tries most  rife  with  them.  After  running  before 
them  in  Colombia,  Peru,  Chili,  and  Central  Amer- 
ica, where  he  had  prescribed  for  Carrera  when 
the  latter  was  pursuing  his  honest  calling  as  a pig- 
driver,  unluckily  he  found  himself  in  Salama 
when  Carrera  came  upon  it  with  twelve  hundred 
Indians,  and  the  cry  of  death  to  the  whites.  With 
a garrison  of  but  thirty  soldiers  and  sixty  citizens 
capable  of  bearing  arms,  Doctor  Fasnach  was  fain 
to  undertake  the  defence ; but,  fortunately,  Carrera 
drew  off  his  Indians,  and  Doctor  Fasnet  drew  off 
himself,  came  into  Yucatan,  and  happened  to  settle 
in  Tekax,  the  only  town  in  the  state  that  could 
get  up  a revolution.  He  was  flying  from  it,  and  on 
his  way  to  Merida,  when  he  was  arrested  by  the 
cura’s  illness.  The  doctor’s  long  residence  in  trop- 
ical countries  had  made  him  familiar  with  their 
diseases,  but  his  course  of  treatment  would  not 
be  considered  legitimate  by  regular  practitioners. 
The  cura’s  illness  was  cholera  morbus,  attended 
with  excessive  swelling  and  inflammation  of  the 
stomach  and  intestines.  To  reduce  these,  Doctor 
F.  had  a sheep  killed  at  the  door,  and  the  stomach 
of  the  patient  covered  with  flesh  warm  from  the 
animal,  which  in  a very  few  minutes  became  taint- 
ed and  was  taken  off,  and  a new  layer  applied ; and 


CHANGED  APPEARANCE  OF  THE  CURA.  345 

this  was  continued  till  eight  sheep  had  been  killed 
and  applied,  and  the  inflammation  subsided. 

From  the  house  of  Doctor  Fasnet  we  went  to 
the  cura.  The  change  which  two  weeks  had  made 
in  his  appearance  was  appalling.  Naturally  thin, 
his  agonizing  pains  had  frightfully  reduced  him,  and 
as  he  lay  extended  on  a cot  with  a sheet  over  him, 
he  seemed  more  dead  than  living.  He  was  barely 
able,  by  the  feeble  pressure  of  his  shrunken  hand,  to 
show  that  he  appreciated  our  visit,  and  to  say  that 
he  had  never  expected  to  see  us  again ; but  the 
happy  faces  of  those  around  him  spoke  more  than 
words.  It  was  actually  rejoicing  as  over  one 
snatched  from  the  grave. 

The  next  morning  we  visited  him  again.  His 
sunken  eye  lighted  up  as  he  inquired  about  our  ex- 
cavations at  Uxmal,  and  a smile  played  upon  his 
lips  as  he  alluded  to  the  superstition  of  the  Indians 
about  digging  up  the  bones  in  San  Francisco.  Our 
visit  seemed  to  give  him  so  much  satisfaction,  that, 
though  we  could  not  talk  with  him,  we  remained 
at  the  house  nearly  all  day,  and  the  next  day  we 
returned  to  Nohcacab  on  horseback.  Our  visit  to 
Ticul  had  recruited  us  greatly,  and  we  found  Mr. 
Catherwood  equally  improved.  A few  days’  rest 
had  done  wonders  for  us  all,  and  we  determined 
immediately  to  resume  our  occupations. 

On  leaving  Uxmal  we  had  directed  our  steps  to- 
ward Nohcacab,  not  from  any  attractions  in  the 
place  itself,  but  on  account  of  the  ruins  which 
Yol.  I.— Xx 


346 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


we  had  heard  of  as  existing  in  that  neighbour- 
hood ; and,  after  ascertaining  their  position,  we 
considered  that  they  could  be  visited  to  the  best 
advantage  by  making  this  place  our  head-quarters. 
We  had  the  prospect  of  being  detained  there  some 
time,  and,  as  the  casa  real  was  low,  damp,  and 
noisy,  and,  moreover,  our  apartment  was  wanted  for 
the  schoolroom,  by  the  advice  of  the  padrecito  we 
determined  to  abandon  it,  and  take  up  our  abode  in 
the  convent. 

This  was  a long  stone  building  in  the  rear  ot 
the  church,  standing  on  the  same  high  table-land, 
overlooking  the  village,  and  removed  from  its  annoy- 
ances and  bustle.  In  the  part  immediately  adjoin- 
ing the  church  were  two  large  and  convenient  apart- 
ments, except  that,  quick  in  detecting  all  which 
could  bring  on  a recurrence  of  fever  and  ague,  we 
noticed  on  one  side  puddles  of  water  and  green 
mould,  from  the  constant  shade  of  the  great  wall  of 
the  church,  and  on  the  door  of  one  of  the  rooms 
was  written,  “Here  died  Don  Jose  Trufique:  may 
his  soul  rest  in  peace.” 

In  these  rooms  we  established  ourselves.  On  one 
side  of  us  we  had  the  padrecito,  who  was  always 
gay  and  lively,  and  on  the  other  six  or  eight  Indian 
sacristans,  or  sextons,  who  were  always  drunk.  Be- 
fore the  door  was  a broad  high  platform,  running 
all  round  the  church,  and  a little  beyond  it  was  a 
walled  enclosure  for  our  horses.  Opposite  the  door 
of  the  sacristia  was  a thatched  cocina,  or  kitchen,  in 


RUINS  OF  NOHCACAB. 


347 


which  these  Indian  church  ministers  cooked  and 
Albino  and  Bernaldo  slept. 

It  is  ascertained  by  historical  accounts,  that  at 
the  time  of  the  conquest  an  Indian  town  existed  in 
this  immediate  neighbourhood,  bearing  the  name  of 
Nohcacab.  This  name  is  compounded  of  three 
Maya  words,  signifying  literally  the  great  place  of 
good  land ; and  from  the  numerous  and  extraordi- 
nary ruins  scattered  around,  there  is  reason  to  be- 
lieve that  it  was  the  heart  of  a rich,  and  what  was 
once  an  immensely  populous  country.  In  the  sub- 
urbs are  numerous  and  large  mounds,  grand  enough 
to  excite  astonishment,  but  even  more  fallen  and 
overgrown  than  those  of  San  Francisco,  and,  in 
fact,  almost  inaccessible. 

The  village  stands  in  the  same  relative  position 
to  these  ruins  that  Ticul  does  to  the  ruins  of  San 
Francisco,  and,  like  that,  in  my  opinion  it  stands  on 
the  offskirts  of  the  old  Indian  town,  or  rather  it  oc- 
cupies part  of  the  very  site,  for  in  the  village  itself, 
within  the  enclosures  of  some  of  the  Indians,  are 
the  remains  of  mounds  exactly  like  those  in  the  sub-* 
urbs.  In  making  excavations  in  the  plaza,  vases 
and  vessels  of  pottery  are  continually  brought  to 
light,  and  in  the  street  wall  of  the  house  where  the 
padrecito’s  mother  lived  is  a sculptured  head  dug  up 
fifteen  years  ago. 

The  whole  of  this  region  is  retired  and  compar- 
atively unknown.  The  village  is  without  the  line 
of  all  the  present  main  roads  ; it  does  not  lie  on  the 


348 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


way  to  any  place  of  general  resort,  and  is  not  worth 
stopping  at  on  its  own  account.  Notwithstanding 
the  commencement  of  improvements,  it  was  the 
most  backward  and  thoroughly  Indian  of  any  vil- 
lage we  had  visited.  Merida  was  too  far  off  for  the 
Indians  to  think  of;  but  few  of  the  vecinos  ever 
reached  it,  and  Ticul  was  their  capital.  Every- 
thing that  was  deficient  in  the  village  they  told  us 
was  to  be  had  at  Ticul,  and  the  sexton,  who  went 
over  once  a week  for  the  holy  wafer,  was  always 
charged  with  some  errand  for  us. 

The  first  place  which  we  proposed  visiting  was 
the  ruins  of  Xcoch,  and  in  the  very  beginning  of 
our  researches  in  this  neighbourhood  we  found  that 
we  were  upon  entirely  new  ground.  The  attention 
of  the  people  had  never  been  turned  to  the  subject 
of  the  ruins  in  the  neighbourhood.  Xcoch  was  but 
a league  distant,  and,  besides  the  ruins  of  buildings, 
it  contained  an  ancient  poso,  or  well,  of  mysterious 
and  marvellous  reputation,  the  fame  of  which  was 
in  everybody’s  mouth.  This  well  was  said  to  be  a 
.vast  subterraneous  structure,  adorned  with  sculptur- 
ed figures,  an  immense  table  of  polished  stone,  and 
a plaza  with  columns  supporting  a vaulted  roof,  and 
it  was  said  to  have  a subterraneous  road,  which  led 
to  the  village  of  Mani,  twenty-seven  miles  distant. 

Notwithstanding  this  wondrous  reputation  and 
the  publicity  of  the  details,  and  although  within 
three  miles  of  Nohcacab,  the  intelligence  we  re- 
ceived was  so  vague  and  uncertain  that  we  were  at 


A MYSTERIOUS  WELL. 


349 


a loss  how  to  make  our  arrangements  for  exploring 
the  well.  Not  a white  man  in  the  place  had  ever 
entered  it,  though  several  had  looked  in  at  the  mouth, 
who  said  that  the  wind  had  taken  away  their  breath, 
and  they  had  not  ventured  to  go  in.  Its  fame  rest- 
ed entirely  upon  the  accounts  of  the  Indians,  which, 
coming  to  us  through  interpreters,  were  very  confu- 
sed. By  the  active  kindness  of  the  padrecito  and 
his  brother,  the  new  alcalde  Segunda,  two  men  were 
brought  to  us  who  were  considered  most  familiar 
with  the  place,  and  they  said  that  it  would  be  im- 
possible to  enter  it  except  by  employing  several  men 
one  or  two  days  in  making  ladders,  and,  at  all  events, 
they  said  it  would  be  useless  to  attempt  the  descent 
after  the  sun  had  crossed  the  meridian  ; and  to  this 
all  our  friends  and  counsellors,  who  knew  nothing 
about  it,  assented.  Knowing,  however,  their  dila- 
tory manner  of  doing  business,  we  engaged  them  to 
be  on  the  ground  at  daylight.  In  the  mean  time  we 
got  together  all  the  spare  ropes  in  the  village,  inclu- 
ding one  from  the  noria,  and  at  eight  o’clock  the 
next  mornino;  we  set  out. 

For  a league  we  followed  the  camino  real,  at 
which  distance  we  saw  a little  opening  on  the  left, 
where  one  of  our  Indians  was  waiting  for  us.  Fol- 
lowing him  by  a narrow  path  just  opened,  we  again 
found  ourselves  among  ruins,  and  soon  reached  the 
foot  of  the  high  mound  which  towered  above  the 
plain,  itself  conspicuous  from  the  House  of  the 
Dwarf  at  Uxmal,  and  which  is  represented  in  the 

30 


350 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


engraving  above.  The  ground  in  this  neighbour- 
hood was  open,  and  there  were  the  remains  of  sev- 
eral buildings,  but  all  prostrate  and  in  utter  ruin. 

The  great  cerro  stands  alone,  the  only  one  that 
now  rises  above  the  plain.  The  sides  are  all  fallen, 
though  in  some  places  the  remains  of  steps  are  visi- 
ble. On  the  south  side,  about  half  way  up,  there  is 
a large  tree,  which  facilitates  the  ascent  to  the  top. 
The  height  is  about  eighty  or  ninety  feet.  One 
corner  of  a building  is  all  that  is  left ; the  rest  of  the 
top  is  level  and  overgrown  with  grass.  The  view 
commanded  an  immense  wooded  plain,  and,  rising 
above  it,  toward  the  southeast  the  great  church  of 


ENTRANCE  TO  THE  WELL. 


351 


Nolicacab,  and  on  the  west  the  ruined  buildings  of 
UxmaL 

Returning  in  the  same  direction,  w£  entered  a 
thick  grove,  in  which  we  dismounted  and  tied  our 
horses.  It  was  ttye  finest  grove  we  had  seen  in  the 
country,  and  within  it  was  a great  circular  cavity  or 
opening  in  the  earth,  twenty  or  thirty  feet  deep,  with 
trees  and  bushes  growing  out  of  the  bottom  and 
sides,  and  rising  above  the  level  of  the  plain.  It 
was  a wild-looking  place,  and  had  a fanciful,  mys- 
terious, and  almost  fearful  appearance ; for  while  in 
the  grove  all  was  close  and  sultry,  and  without  a 
breath  of  air,  and  every  leaf  was  still,  within  this 
cavity  the  branches  and  leaves  were  violently  agi- 
tated, as  if  shaken  by  an  invisible  hand. 

This  cavity  was  the  entrance  to  the  poso,  or  well, 
and  its  appearance  was  wild  enough  to  bear  out  the 
wildest  accounts  we  had  heard  of  it.  We  descend- 
ed to  the  bottom.  At  one  corner  was  a rude  natu- 
ral opening  in  a great  mass  of  limestone  rock,  low 
and  narrow,  through  which  rushed  constantly  a 
powerful  current  of  wind,  agitating  the  branches 
and  leaves  in  the  area  without.  This  was  the 
mouth  of  the  well,  and  on  our  first  attempting  to 
enter  it  the  rush  of  wind  was  so  strong  that  it  made 
us  fall  back  gasping  for  breath,  confirming  the  ac- 
counts we  had  heard  in  Nolicacab.  Our  Indians 
had  for  torches  long  strips  of  the  castor-oil  plant, 
which  the  wind  only  ignited  more  thoroughly,  and 
with  these  they  led  the  way.  It  was  one  of  the 


352 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


marvels  told  us  of  this  place,  that  it  was  impossible 
to  enter  after  twelve  o’clock.  This  hour  was 
already  past ; we  had  not  made  the  preparations  • 
which  were  said  to  be  necessary,  and,  without 
knowing  how  far  we  should  be  able  to  continue,  we 
followed  our  guides,  other  Indians  coming  after  us 
with  coils  of  rope. 

The  entrance  was  about  three  feet  high  and  four 
or  five  wide.  It  was  so  low  that  we  were  obliged 
to  crawl  on  our  hands  and  feet,  and  descended  at 
an  angle  of  about  fifteen  degrees  in  a northerly  di- 
rection. The  wind,  collecting  in  the  recesses  of  the 
cave,  rushed  through  this  passage  with  such  force 
that  we  could  scarcely  breathe ; and  as  we  all  had 
in  us  the  seeds  of  fever  and  ague,  we  very  much 
doubted  the  propriety  of  going  on,  but  curiosity  was 
stronger  than  discretion,  and  we  proceeded.  In  the 
floor  of  the  passage  was  a single  track,  worn  two  or 
three  inches  deep  by  long-continued  treading  of 
feet,  and  the  roof  was  incrusted  with  a coat  of  smoke 
from  the  flaring  torches.  The  labour  of  crawling 
through  this  passage  with  the  body  bent,  and  against 
the  rush  of  cold  air,  made  a rather  severe  beginning, 
and,  probably,  if  we  had  undertaken  the  enterprise 
alone  we  should  have  turned  back. 

At  the  distance  of  a hundred  and  fifty  or  two 
hundred  feet  the  passage  enlarged  to  an  irregular 
cavern,  forty  or  fifty  feet  wide  and  ten  or  fifteen 
high.  We  no  longer  felt  the  rush  of  cold  wind,  and 
the  temperature  was  sensibly  warmer.  The  sides 


INTERIOR  OF  THE  WELL. 


353 


and  roof  were  of  rough,  broken  stone,  and  through 
the  centre  ran  the  same  worn  path.  From  this  pas- 
sage others  branched  off  to  the  right  and  left,  and 
in  passing  along  it,  at  one  place  the  Indians  held 
their  torches  down  to  a block  of  sculptured  stone. 
We  had,  of  course,  already  satisfied  ourselves  that 
the  cave  or  passage,  whatever  it  might  lead  to,  was 
the  work  of  nature,  and  had  given  up  all  expectation 
of  seeing  the  great  monuments  of  art  which  had 
been  described  to  us  ; but  the  sight  of  this  block  en- 
couraged us  with  the  hope  that  the  accounts  might 
have  some  foundation.  Very  soon,  however,  our 
hopes  on  this  head  were  materially  abated,  if  not 
destroyed,  by  reaching  what  the  Indians  had  de- 
scribed as  a mesa,  or  table.  This  had  been  a great 
item  in  all  the  accounts,  and  was  described  as  made 
by  hand  and  highly  polished.  It  was  simply  a huge 
block  of  rude  stone,  the  top  of  which  happened  to 
be  smooth,  but  entirely  in  a state  of  nature.  Be- 
yond this  we  passed  into  a large  opening  of  an  ir- 
regular circular  form,  being  what  had  been  descri- 
bed to  us  as  a plaza.  Here  the  Indians  stopped 
and  flared  their  torches.  It  was  a great  vault- 
ed chamber  of  stone,  with  a high  roof  supported 
by  enormous  stalactite  pillars,  which  were  what 
the  Indians  had  called  the  columns,  and  though 
entirely  different  from  what  we  had  expected,  the 
effect  under  the  torchlight,  and  heightened  by  the 
wild  figures  of  the  Indians,  was  grand,  and  almost 
repaid  us  for  all  our  trouble.  This  plaza  lay  at  one 
Vol.  I.— Y Y 


354 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


side  of  the  regular  path,  and  we  remained  in  it  some 
minutes  to  refresh  ourselves,  for  the  closeness  of  the 
passage  and  the  heat  and  smoke  were  becoming  al- 
most intolerable. 

Farther  on  we  climbed  up  a high,  broken  piece 
of  rock,  and  descended  again  by  a low,  narrow 
opening,  through  which  we  were  obliged  to  crawl, 
and  which,  from  its  own  closeness,  and  the  heat  and 
smoke  of  the  torches,  and  the  labour  of  crawling 
through  it,  was  so  hot  that  we  were  panting  with 
exhaustion  and  thirst.  This  brought  us  to  a rug- 
ged, perpendicular  hole,  three  or  four  feet  in  diam- 
eter, with  steps  barely  large  enough  for  a foothold, 
worn  in  the  rock.  We  descended  with  some  diffi- 
culty, and  at  the  foot  came  out  upon  a ledge  of 
rock,  which  ran  up  on  the  right  to  a great  height, 
while  on  the  left  was  a deep,  yawning  chasm.  A 
few  rude  logs  were  laid  along  the  edge  of  this 
chasm,  which,  with  a pole  for  a railing,  served  as  a 
bridge,  and,  with  the  torchlight  thrown  into  the 
abyss  below,  made  a wild  crossing-place ; the  pas- 
sage then  turned  to  the  right,  contracting  to  about 
three  feet  in  height  and  the  same  in  width,  and  de- 
scending rapidly.  We  were  again  obliged  to  betake 
ourselves  to  crawling,  and  again  the  heat  became 
insufferable.  Indeed,  we  went  on  with  some  ap- 
prehensions. To  faint  in  one  of  those  narrow  pas- 
sages, so  far  removed  from  a breath  of  air,  would  be 
almost  to  die  there.  As  to  carrying  a man  out,  it 
was  impossible  for  either  of  us  to  do  more  than  drag 


THE  BASIN. 


355 


himself  along,  and  I believe  that  there  could  have 
been  no  help  from  the  Indians. 

This  passage  continued  fifty  or  sixty  feet,  when 
it  doubled  on  itself,  still  contracted  as  before,  and 
still  rapidly  descending.  It  then  enlarged  to  a rather 
spacious  cavern,  and  took  a southwest  direction, 
after  which  there  was  another  perpendicular  hole, 
leading,  by  means  of  a rude  and  rickety  ladder,  to 
a steep,  low,  crooked,  and  crawling  passage,  de- 
scending until  it  opened  into  a large  broken  cham- 
ber, at  one  end  of  which  was  a deep  hole  or  basin 
of  water. 

This  account  may  not  be  perfectly  accurate  in  all 
the  details,  but  it  is  not  exaggerated.  Probably 
some  of  the  turnings  and  windings,  ascents  and  de- 
scents, are  omitted  ; and  the  truest  and  most  faith- 
ful description  that  could  be  given  of  it  would  be 
really  the  most  extraordinary. 

The  water  was  in  a deep,  stony  basin,  running 
under  a shelf  of  overhanging  rock,  with  a pole  laid 
across  on  one  side,  over  which  the  Indians  leaned 
to  dip  it  up  with  their  calabashes;  and  this  alone,  if 
we  had  wanted  other  proof,  was  confirmation  that 
the  place  had  been  used  as  a well. 

But  at  the  moment  it  was  a matter  of  very  little 
consequence  to  us  whether  any  living  being  had 
ever  drunk  from  it  before ; the  sight  of  it  was  more 
welcome  to  us  than  gold  or  rubies.  We  were  drip- 
ping with  sweat,  black  with  smoke,  and  perishing: 
with  thirst.  It  lay  before  us  in  its  stony  basin, 


356 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


clear  and  inviting,  but  it  was  completely  out  of 
reach ; the  basin  was  so  deep  that  we  could  not 
reach  the  water  with  our  hands,  and  we  had  no 
vessel  of  any  kind  to  dip  it  out  with.  In  our  entire 
ignorance  of  the  character  of  the  place,  we  had  not 
made  any  provision,  and  the  Indians  had  only 
brought  what  they  were  told  to  bring.  I crawled 
down  on  one  side,  and  dipped  up  a little  with  one 
hand;  but  it  was  a scanty  supply,  and  with  this 
water  before  us  we  were  compelled  to  go  away  with 
our  thirst  unsatisfied.  Fortunately,  however,  after 
crawling  back  through  the  first  narrow  passage,  we 
found  some  fragments  of  a broken  water-jar,  with 
which  the  Indians  returned  and  brought  us  enough 
to  cool  our  tongues. 

In  going  down  we  had  scarcely  noticed  anything 
except  the  wild  path  before  us ; but,  having  now 
some  knowledge  of  the  place,  the  labour  was  not  so 
great,  and  we  inquired  for  the  passage  which  the 
Indians  had  told  us  led  to  Maui.  On  reaching  it, 
we  turned  off,  and,  after  following  it  a short  dis- 
tance, found  it  completely  stopped  by  a natural  clo- 
sing of  the  rock.  From  the  best  information  we 
could  get,  although  all  said  the  passage  led  to  Mani, 
we  were  satisfied  that  the  Indians  had  never  at- 
tempted to  explore  it.  It  did  not  lead  to  the  water, 
nor  out  of  the  cave,  and  our  guides  had  never  en- 
tered it  before.  We  advised  them  for  the  future  to 
omit  this  and  some  other  particulars  in  their  stories 
about  the  well ; but  probably,  except  from  the  pa- 


USES  OF  THIS  WELL. 


357 


drecito,  and  others  to  whom  we  communicated  what 
we  saw,  the  next  travellers  will  hear  the  same  ac- 
counts that  we  did. 

As  we  advanced,  we  remained  a little  while  in 
the  cooler  atmosphere  before  exposing  ourselves  to 
the  rush  of  cold  air  toward  the  mouth,  and  in  an 
hour  and  a half  from  the  time  of  entering,  we 
emerged  into  the  outer  air. 

As  a mere  cave,  this  was  extraordinary  ; but  as  a 
well  or  watering-place  for  an  ancient  city,  it  was 
past  belief,  except  for  the  proofs  under  our  own 
eyes.  Around  it  were  the  ruins  of  a city  without 
any  other  visible  means  of  supply,  and,  what  rarely 
happened,  with  the  Indians  it  was  matter  of  tradi- 
tionary knowledge.  They  say  that  it  was  not  dis- 
covered by  them  ; it  was  used  by  their  fathers  ; they 
did  not  know  when  it  began  to  be  used.  They  as- 
cribe it  to  that  remote  people  whom  they  refer  to  as 
the  antiguos. 

And  a strong  circumstance  to  induce  the  belief 
that  it  was  once  used  by  the  inhabitants  of  a popu- 
lous city,  is  the  deep  track  worn  in  the  rock.  For 
ages  the  region  around  has  been  desolate,  or  occu- 
pied only  by  a few  Indians  during  the  time  of  work- 
ing in  the  milpas.  Their  straggling  footsteps  would 
never  have  made  that  deep  track.  It  could  only 
have  been  made  by  the  constant  and  long-contin- 
ued tread  of  thousands.  It  must  have  been  made 
by  the  population  of  a city. 

In  the  grove  surrounding  the  entrance  we  found 


358 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


some  water  collected  in  the  hollow  of  a stone,  with 
which  we  slaked  our  thirst  and  made  a partial  ab- 
lution ; and  it  was  somewhat  extraordinary  that, 
though  we  were  barely  recovered  from  illness,  had 
exerted  ourselves  greatly,  and  been  exposed  to  rapid 
alternations  of  heat  and  cold,  we  never  experienced 
any  bad  effects  from  it. 

On  our  return  to  the  village  we  found  that  an  un- 
fortunate accident  had  occurred  during  our  absence  ; 
a child  had  been  run  away  with  by  a horse,  thrown 
off,  and  killed.  In  the  evening,  in  company  with 
the  alcalde,  the  brother  of  the  padrecito,  we  went 
to  the  velorio,  or  watching.  It  was  an  extremely 
dark  night,  and  we  stumbled  along  a stony  and  bro- 
ken street  till  we  reached  the  house  of  mourning. 
Before  the  door  were  a crowd  of  people,  and  a large 
card-table,  at  which  all  who  could  find  a place  were 
seated  playing  cards.  At  the  moment  of  our  arri- 
val, the  whole  company  was  convulsed  with  laugh- 
ter at  some  good  thing  which  one  of  them  had  ut- 
tered, and  which  was  repeated  for  our  benefit;  a 
strange  scene  at  the  threshold  of  a house  of  mourn- 
ing. We  entered  the  house,  which  was  crowded 
with  women,  and  hammocks  were  vacated  for  our 
use,  these  being  in  all  cases  the  seat  of  honour. 
The  house,  like  most  of  those  in  the  village,  con- 
sisted of  a single  room  rounded  at  each  end.  The 
floor  was  of  earth,  and  the  roof  thatched  with 
long  leaves  of  the  guano.  From  the  cross-poles 
hung  a few  small  hammocks,  and  in  the  middle  of 


A FATAL  ACCIDENT. 


359 


the  room  stood  a table,  on  which  lay  the  body  of  the 
child.  It  had  on  the  same  clothes  which  it  wore 
when  the  accident  happened,  torn  and  stained  with 
blood.  At  one  side  of  the  face  the  skin  was  scratch- 
ed off  from  being  dragged  on  the  ground  ; the  skull 
was  cracked ; and  there  was  a deep  gash  under  the 
ear,  from  which  the  blood  was  still  oozing.  On 
each  side  of  the  head  was  a lighted  candle.  It  was 
a white  child,  three  years  old,  and  that  morning  had 
been  playing  about  the  house.  The  mother,  a wom- 
an of  uncommonly  tall  and  muscular  frame,  was  ap- 
plying rags  to  stanch  the  flow  of  blood.  She  had 
set  out  that  morning  with  all  her  family  for  Cam- 
peachy,  with  the  intention  of  removing  to  that 
place.  An  Indian  woman  went  before  on  horse- 
back, carrying  this  child  and  another.  In  the  sub- 
urbs of  the  village  the  horse  took  fright  and  ran 
away,  throwing  them  all  off ; the  servant  and  one 
child  escaped  unhurt ; but  this  one  was  dragged 
some  distance,  and  in  two  hours  died  of  its  wounds. 
The  women  were  quiet  and  grave,  but  outside  there 
was  a continual  laughing,  jesting,  and  uproar,  which, 
with  the  dead  child  before  our  eyes,  seemed  rude 
and  heartless.  While  this  was  going  on,  we  heard 
the  gay  voice  of  the  padrecito,  just  arrived,  contrib- 
uting largely  to  the  jest,  and  presently  he  came  in, 
went  up  to  the  child,  and,  addressing  himself  to  us, 
lifted  up  the  head,  showed  us  the  wounds,  told  what 
he  had  done  for  it,  and  said  that  if  the  doctor  had 
been  there  it  might  have  been  saved,  or  if  it  had 


360 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


been  a man,  but,  being  so  young,  its  bones  were  very 
tender  ; then  he  lighted  a straw  cigar,  threw  himself 
into  a hammock,  and,  looking  around,  asked  us,  in 
a tone  of  voice  that  was  intended  for  the  whole 
company,  what  we  thought  of  the  girls. 

This  ceremony  of  el  velorio  is  always  observed 
when  there  is  death  in  a family.  It  is  intended,  as 
the  padrecito  told  us,  para  divertirse,  or  to  amuse  and 
distract  the  family,  and  keep  them  from  going  to 
sleep.  At  twelve  o’clock  chocolate  is  served  round, 
and  again  at  daybreak ; but  in  some  respects  the  cer- 
emony is  different  in  the  case  of  grown  persons  and 
that  of  children.  In  the  latter,  as  they  believe  that 
a child  is  without  sin,  and  that  God  takes  it  imme- 
diately to  himself,  the  death  is  a subject  of  rejoicing, 
and  the  night  is  passed  in  card-playing,  jesting,  and 
story-telling.  But  in  the  case  of  grown  persons,  as 
they  are  not  so  sure  what  becomes  of  the  spirit,  they 
have  no  jesting  or  story-telling,  and  only  play  cards. 
All  this  may  seem  unfeeling,  but  we  must  not  judge 
others  by  rules  known  only  to  ourselves.  Whatever 
the  ways  of  hiding  or  expressing  it,  the  stream  of 
natural  affection  runs  deep  in  every  bosom. 

The  mother  of  the  child  shed  no  tears,  but  as  she 
stood  by  its  head,  stanching  its  wounds  from  time 
to  time,  she  did  not  seem  to  be  rejoicing  over  its 
death.  The  padrecito  told  us  that  she  was  poor, 
but  a very  respectable  woman.  We  inquired  about 
the  other  members  of  her  family,  and  especially  her 
husband.  The  padrecito  said  she  had  none,  nor 


A QUESTION  ANSWERED. 


361 


was  she  a widow ; and,  unfortunately  for  his  standard 
of  respectability,  when  we  asked  who  was  the  father 
of  the  child,  he  answered  laughingly,  “ Quien  sabe  ?” 
“Who  knows?”  At  ten  o’clock  he  lighted  a long 
bundle  of  sticks  at  one  of  the  candles  burning  at  the 
head  of  the  child,  and  we  went  away. 

Vol.  I. — Z z 31 


362 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

Ruins  of  Nohpat. — A lofty  Mound. — Grand  View. — Sculptured 
Human  Figure. — Terraces. — Huge  sculptured  Figure. — Other 
Figures.— Skull  and  Cross-bones. — Situation  of  Ruins. — Jour- 
ney to  Kabah. — Thatched  Huts. — Arrival  at  the  Ruins. — Return 
to  the  Village. — Astonishment  of  the  Indians. — Valuable  Ser- 
vant.— Festival  of  Corpus  Alma. — A plurality  of  Saints. — How 
to  put  a Saint  under  Patronage. — A Procession. — Fireworks. — 
A Ball. — Excess  of  Female  Population. — A Dance. 

T he  next  day  we  set  out  for  another  ruined  city. 
It  lay  on  the  road  to  Uxmal,  and  was  the  same 
which  I had  visited  on  my  first  return  from  Ticul, 
known  by  the  name  of  Nohpat.  At  the  distance  of 
a league  we  turned  off  from  the  main  road  to  the 
left,  and,  following  a narrow  milpa  path,  in  fifteen 
minutes  reached  the  field  of  ruins.  One  mound 


rose  high  above  the  rest,  holding  aloft  a ruined 
building,  as  shown  in  the  preceding  engraving.  At 


RUINS  OF  NOHPAT. 


363 


the  foot  of  this  we  dismounted  and  tied  our  horses. 
It  was  one  hundred  and  fifty  feet  high  on  the  slope, 
and  about  two  hundred  and  fifty  feet  long  at  the  base. 
At  the  top,  the  mound,  with  the  building  upon  it, 
had  separated  and  fallen  apart,  and  while  one  side 
still  supported  part  of  the  edifice,  the  other  present- 
ed the  appearance  of  a mountain  slide.  Cocome, 
our  guide,  told  us  that  the  separation  had  happened 
only  with  the  floods  of  the  last  rainy  season.  We 
ascended  on  the  fallen  side,  and,  reaching  the  top, 
found,  descending  on  the  south  side,  a gigantic  stair- 
case, overgrown,  but  with  the  great  stone  steps  still 
in  their  places,  and  almost  entire.  The  ruined 
building  on  the  top  consisted  of  a single  corridor, 
but  three  feet  five  inches  wide,  and,  with  the  ruins 
of  Nohpat  at  our  feet,  we  looked  out  upon  a great 
desolate  plain,  studded  with  overgrown  mounds,  of 
which  we  took  the  bearings  and  names  as  known 
to  the  Indians ; toward  the  west  by  north,  startling 
by  the  grandeur  of  the  buildings  and  their  height 
above  the  plain,  with  no  decay  visible,  and  at  this 
distance  seeming  perfect  as  a living  city,  were  the 
ruins  of  Uxmal.  Fronting  us  was  the  great  Casa 
del  Gobernador,  apparently  so  near  that  we  almost 
looked  into  its  open  doors,  and  could  have  distin- 
guished a man  moving  on  the  terrace ; and  yet,  for 
the  first  twro  weeks  of  our  residence  at  Uxmal,  we 
did  not  know  of  the  existence  of  this  place,  and, 
wanting  the  clearings  that  had  been  made  at  Ux- 


364 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


mal,  no  part  of  it  was  visible  from  the  terraces  or 
buildings  there. 

Descending  the  mound,  we  passed  around  by  the 
side  of  the  staircase,  and  rose  upon  an  elevated  plat- 
form, in  the  centre  of  which  was  a huge  and  rude 
round  stone,  like  that  called  the  picote  in  the  court- 
yards at  Uxrnal.  At  the  base  of  the  steps  was  a 
large  flat  stone,  having  sculptured  upon  it  a colossal 
human  figure  in  bas-relief,  which  is  represented  in 
the  following  engraving.  The  stone  measures  elev- 


en feet  four  inches  in  length,  and  three  feet  ten  in 
breadth,  and  lies  on  its  back,  broken  in  two  in  the 
middle.  Probably  it  once  stood  erect  at  the  base  of 
the  steps,  but,  thrown  down  and  broken,  has  lain  for 
ages  with  its  face  to  the  sky,  exposed  to  the  floods 
of  the  rainy  season.  The  sculpture  is  rude  and 
worn,  and  the  lines  were  difficult  to  make  out. 
The  Indians  said  that  it  was  the  figure  of  a king  of 


TERRACES  AND  RUINED  BUILDINGS.  365 

the  antiguos,  and  no  doubt  it  was  intended  as  a 
portrait  of  some  lord  or  cacique. 

At  a short  distance  to  the  southeast  of  the  court- 
yard was  another  platform  or  terrace,  about  twenty 
feet  high  and  two  hundred  feet  square,  on  two  sides 
of  which  were  ranges  of  buildings  standing  at  right 
angles  to  each  other.  One  of  them  had  two  stories, 
and  trees  growing  out  of  the  walls  and  on  the  top, 
forming  the  most  picturesque  ruins  we  had  seen  in 
the  country.  As  we  approached  it  Doctor  Cabot 
was  climbing  up  a tree  at  the  corner  to  get.  on  the 
roof  in  pursuit  of  a bird,  and,  in  doing  so,  started 
a gigantic  lizard,  which  went  bounding  among  the 
trees  and  along  the  cornice  till  he  buried  himself  in 
a large  fissure  in  the  front. 

Beyond  this  was  another  terrace,  having  on  it 
ruined  buildings  overgrown  with  trees.  Mr.  Cath- 
erwood  was  tempted  to  sketch  them  merely  on  ac- 
count of  their  picturesque  effect,  and  while  we  were 
on  the  ground  they  seemed  to  us  the  most  touching 
and  interesting  of  any  we  had  seen  ; but  as  they  con- 
tribute nothing  to  illustrate  the  architecture  and  art 
of  these  unknown  people,  we  do  not  present  them. 

Leaving  this  neighbourhood,  and  passing  by  many 
ruined  buildings  and  mounds,  at  the  distance  of  six 
or  seven  hundred  feet  we  reached  an  open  place, 
forming  the  most  curious  and  interesting  part  of  this 
field  of  ruins.  It  was  in  the  vicinity  of  three  mounds, 
lines  drawn  from  which  to  each  other  would  form  a 
right  angle,  and  in  the  open  space  were  some  sculp- 


366 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


tured  monuments,  shattered,  fallen,  and  some  of  them 
half  buried.  Strange  heads  and  bodies  lay  broken 
and  scattered,  so  that  at  first  we  did  not  discover 
their  connexion;  but,  by  examining  carefully,  we 
found  two  fragments,  which,  from  the  shape  of  the 
broken  surfaces,  seemed  to  be  parts  of  one  block,  one 
of  them  representing  a huge  head,  and  the  other  a 
huger  body.  The  latter  we  set  up  in  its  proper  po- 
sition, and  with  some  difficulty,  by  means  of  poles, 
and  ropes  which  the  Indians  took  from  their  san- 
dals, we  got  the  other  part  on  the  top,  and  fitted  in 
its  place,  as  it  had  once  stood.  The  following  en- 
graving represents  this  monument.  It  was  a solid 


block  of  stone,  measuring  four  feet  three  inches  high, 
and  one  foot  six  inches  thick,  and  represents  a hu- 
man figure  in  a crouching  posture,  with  the  face, 
having  a hideous  expression,  turned  over  the  shoul- 
der, almost  behind.  The  headdress  is  a representa- 
tion of  the  head  of  a wild  beast,  the  ears,  eyes,  teeth, 
and  jaws  being  easily  distinguishable.  The  sculpture 
is  rude,  and  the  whole  appearance  uncouth  and  ugly. 
Probably  it  was  one  of  the  idols  worshipped  by  the 
people  of  this  ancient  city. 

There  were  others  of  the  same  general  charac- 


SKULL  AND  CROSS-BONES. 


367 


ter,  of  which  the  sculpture  was  more  defaced  and 
worn ; and,  besides  these,  there  were  monuments  of 
a different  character,  half  buried,  and  dispersed 
without  apparent  order,  but  which  evidently  had 
an  adaptation  to  each  other ; after  some  examina- 
tion, we  made  out  what  we  considered  the  arrange- 
ment in  which  they  had  stood,  and  had  them  set  up 
according  to  our  combination.  The  following  en- 
graving represents  these  stones.  They  vary  from 
one  foot  four  inches  to  one  foot  ten  inches  in  length. 


Each  stone  is  two  feet  three  inches  high.  The 
subject  is  the  skull  and  cross-bones.  The  sculpture 
is  in  bas-relief,  and  the  carving  good,  and  still  clear 
and  distinct.  Probably  this  was  the  holy  place  of 
the  city,  where  the  idols  or  deities  were  presented 
to  the  people  with  the  emblems  of  death  around 
them. 

The  ruins  lie  on  the  common  lands  of  the  village 
of  Nohcacab,  at  least  so  say  the  alcaldes  of  that 
place,  but  Don  Simon  Peon  claims  that  they  are 
within  the  old  boundaries  of  the  hacienda  of  Uxmal, 
and  the  settling  of  the  question  is  not  worth  the 
expense  of  a survey.  The  name  Nohpat  is  com- 
pounded of  two  Maya  words,  which  signify  a great 


368 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


lord  or  senor,  and  this  is  all  the  information  I was 
able  to  collect  about  this  ancient  city.  If  we  had 
met  with  it  on  our  former  journey  we  should  have 
planted  ourselves,  and  given  it  a thorough  explora- 
tion. The  mounds  and  vestiges  of  buildings  were 
perhaps  as  numerous  as  those  of  Uxmal,  but  they 
were  all  ruined.  The  day  was  like  the  finest  of  Oc- 
tober at  home,  and,  as  a relief  from  the  heat  of  the 
sun,  there  was  a constant  and  refreshing  breeze. 
The  country  was  open,  or  studded  with  trees  barely 
enough  to  adorn  the  landscape,  and  give  picturesque 
beauty  to  the  ruins.  It  was  cut  up  by  numerous 
paths,  and  covered  with  grass  like  a fine  piece  of 
upland  at  home,  and  for  the  first  and  only  time  in 
the  country  we  found  pleasure  in  a mere  ramble 
over  fields.  Bernaldo  came  out  from  the  village 
with  a loaded  Indian  at  the  precise  moment  when 
we  wanted  dinner,  and  altogether  it  was  one  of  the 
most  agreeable  and  satisfactory  days  that  wre  passed 
among  the  relics  of  the  antiguos. 

The  next  day,  being  the  eighth  of  January,  we  set 
out  for  the  ruins  of  Kabah.  Our  direction  was 
south,  on  the  camino  real  to  Bolonchen.  The  de- 
scent from  the  great  rocky  table  on  which  the  con- 
vent stands  was  on  this  side  rough,  broken,  and  pre- 
cipitous. W e passed  through  a long  street  having 
on  each  side  thatched  huts,  occupied  exclusively  by 
Indians.  Some  had  a picturesque  appearance,  and 
the  engraving  which  follows  represents  one  of  them. 
At  the  end  of  the  street,  as  well  as  at  the  ends  of 


JOURNEY  TO  KABAH. 


369 


the  three  other  principal  streets,  which  run  toward 
the  cardinal  points,  were  a small  chapel  and  altar, 
at  which  the  inhabitants  of  the  village  might  offer 
up  prayers  on  leaving  it,  and  thanks  for  their  safe 
return.  Beyond,  the  road  was  stony,  bordered  on 
both  sides  by  scrubby  trees  and  bushes ; but  as  we 
advanced  we  passed  through  an  open  country,  adorn- 
ed with  large  forest  trees.  At  the  distance  of  two 
leagues  we  turned  off  by  a milpa  path  on  the  left, 
and  very  soon  found  ourselves  among  trees,  bushes, 
and  a thick,  overgrown  foliage,  which,  after  the  fine 
open  field  of  Nohpat,  we  regarded  as  among  the  vi- 
cissitudes of  our  fortunes.  Beyond  we  saw  through 
an  opening  a lofty  mound,  overgrown,  and  having 
upon  it  the  ruins  of  a building  like  the  House  of  the 
Dwarf,  towering  above  every  other  object,  and  pro- 
Vol.  I. — A A A 


370 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


claiming  the  site  of  another  lost  and  deserted  city. 
Moving  on,  again,  through  openings  in  the  trees,  we 
had  a glimpse  of  a great  stone  edifice,  with  its  front 
apparently  entire.  We  had  hardly  expressed  our 
admiration  before  we  saw  another,  and  at  a few 
horses’  length  a third.  Three  great  buildings  at 
once,  with  facades  which,  at  that  distance,  and  by 
the  imperfect  glimpses  we  had  of  them,  showed  no 
imperfection,  and  seemed  entire.  We  were  taken 
by  surprise.  Our  astonishment  and  wonder  were 
again  roused ; and  we  were  almost  as  much  excited 
as  if  this  was  the  first  ruined  city  we  had  seen. 

Our  guides  cut  a path  for  us,  and  with  great  dif- 
ficulty we  went  on  till  we  found  ourselves  at  the 
foot  of  an  overgrown  terrace  in  front  of  the  nearest 
building.  Here  we  stopped  ; the  Indians  cleared  a 
place  for  our  horses,  we  secured  them,  and,  climbing 
up  a fallen  wall  of  the  terrace,  out  of  which  large 
trees  were  growing,  came  out  upon  the  platform,  and 
before  us  was  a building  with  its  walls  entire,  its 
front  more  fallen,  but  the  remains  showing  that  it 
had  once  been  more  richly  decorated  than  any  at 
Uxmal.  We  crossed  the  terrace,  walked  up  the 
steps,  and  entering  its  open  doors,  ranged  through 
every  apartment.  Then  we  descended  the  back 
terrace,  and  rose  upon  a high  mound,  having  a great 
stone  staircase  different  from  anything  we  had  seen, 
and,  groping  our  way  among  the  trees,  passed  on  to 
the  next ; and  the  third  presented  a facade  almost 
entire,  with  trees  growing  before  it  and  on  the  top, 


RUINS  OF  KABAH. 


371 


as  if  nature  and  ruin  had  combined  to  produce  their 
most  picturesque  effect.  On  the  way  we  had  glimp- 
ses of  other  buildings,  separated  from  us  by  a thick 
growth  of  underwood ; and  after  a hard  but  most 
interesting  morning’s  work,  we  returned  to  the  first 
building. 

Since  we  first  set  out  in  search  of  ruins  we  had 
not  been  taken  so  much  by  surprise.  During  the 
whole  time  of  our  residence  at  Uxmal,  and  until  my 
forced  visit  to  Ticul,  and  fortunate  intimacy  with 
the  cura  Carillo,  I had  not  even  heard  of  the  ex- 
istence of  such  a place.  It  was  absolutely  un- 
known ; and  the  Indians  who  guided  us  having  con- 
ducted us  to  these  buildings,  of  all  the  rest  seemed 
as  ignorant  as  ourselves.  They  told  us,  in  fact,  that 
these  were  all ; but  we  could  not  believe  them ; we 
felt  confident  that  more  lay  buried  in  the  woods,  and, 
tempted  by  the  variety  and  novelty  of  what  we  saw, 
we  determined  not  to  go  away  until  we  had  discov- 
ered all.  So  far,  since  we  began  at  Nohcacab,  we 
had  “ done  up”  a city  a day,  but  we  had  now  a great 
field  of  labour  before  us,  and  we  saw  at  once  that  it 
was  to  be  attended  with  many  difficulties. 

There  was  no  rancho,  and  no  habitation  of  any 
kind  nearer  than  the  village.  The  buildings  them- 
selves offered  good  shelter;  with  the  necessary 
clearings  they  could  be  made  extremely  agreeable, 
and  on  many  considerations  it  was  advisable  again 
to  take  up  our  abode  among  the  ruins ; but  this  ar- 
rangement was  not  without  its  dangers.  The  sea- 


372 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


son  of  El  Norte  seemed  to  have  no  end  ; every  day 
there  was  rain ; the  foliage  was  so  thick  that  the  hot 
sun  could  not  dry  the  moisture  before  another  rain 
came,  and  the  whole  country  was  enveloped  in  a 
damp,  unwholesome  atmosphere.  Besides,  unluck- 
ily for  us,  it  was  a season  of  great  abundance  in  the 
village ; the  corn  crop  had  been  good ; the  Indians 
had  plenty  to  eat,  and  did  not  care  to  work.  Al- 
ready we  had  found  difficulty  in  hiring  them ; it 
would  require  constant  urging  and  our  continual 
presence  to  secure  them  from  day  to  day.  As  to 
getting  them  to  remain  with  us,  it  was  out  of  the 
question.  We  determined,  therefore,  to  continue 
our  residence  at  the  convent,  and  go  out  to  the  ruins 
every  day. 

Late  in  the  afternoon  we  returned  to  the  village, 
and  in  the  evening  had  a levee  of  visiters.  The 
sensation  we  had  created  in  the  village  had  gone 
on  increasing,  and  the  Indians  were  really  indis- 
posed to  work  for  us  at  all.  The  arrival  of  a stran- 
ger even  from  Merida  or  Campeachy  was  an  ex- 
traordinary event,  and  no  Ingleses  had  ever  been 
seen  there  before.  The  circumstance  that  we  had 
come  to  work  among  the  ruins  was  wonderful,  in- 
comprehensible. Within  the  memory  of  the  oldest 
Indians  these  remains  had  never  been  disturbed. 
The  account  of  the  digging  up  of  the  bones  in  San 
Francisco  had  reached  them,  and  they  had  much 
conversation  with  each  other  and  with  the  padre- 
cito  about  us.  It  was  a strange  thing,  they  said, 


ASTONISHMENT  OF  THE  INDIANS.  373 

that  men  with  strange  faces,  and  a language  they 
could  not  understand,  had  come  among  them  to 
disinter  their  ruined  cities ; and,  simple  as  their 
ancestors  when  the  Spaniards  first  came  among 
them,  they  said  that  the  end  of  the  world  was  nigh. 

It  was  late  the  next  day  when  we  reached  the 
ruins.  We  could  not  set  out  before  the  Indians, 
for  they  might  disappoint  us  altogether,  and  we 
could  do  nothing  until  they  came,  but,  once  on  the 
ground,  we  soon  had  them  at  work.  On  both  sides 
we  watched  each  other  closely,  though  from  some- 
what different  motives : they  from  utter  inability  to 
comprehend  our  plans  and  purposes,  and  we  from 
the  fear  that  we  should  get  no  work  out  of  them. 
If  one  of  us  spoke,  they  all  stopped  to  listen  ; if  we 
moved,  they  stopped  to  gaze  upon  us.  Mr.  Cather- 
wood’s  drawdng  materials,  tripod,  sextant,  and  com- 
pass were  very  suspicious,  and  occasionally  Doctor 
Cabot  filled  up  the  measure  of  their  astonishment 
by  bringing  down  a bird  as  it  flew  through  the  air. 
By  the  time  they  were  fairly  broken  in  to  know 
what  they  had  to  do,  it  was  necessary  to  return  to 
the  village. 

The  same  labour  was  repeated  the  next  day  with 
a new  set  of  men  ; but,  by  continual  supervision  and 
urging,  we  managed  to  get  considerable  work  done. 
Albino  was  a valuable  auxiliary ; indeed,  without 
him  I could  hardly  have  got  on  at  all.  We  had 
not  fairly  discovered  his  intelligence  until  we  left 
Uxmal.  There  all  had  a beaten  track  to  move  in, 

32 


374 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


but  on  the  road  little  things  were  constantly  occur- 
ring in  which  he  showed  an  ingenuity  and  a fertil- 
ity of  resource  that  saved  us  from  many  annoy- 
ances. He  had  been  a soldier,  and  at  the  siege  of 
Campeachy  had  received  a sabre-cut  in  a fleshy 
part  of  the  body,  which  rather  intimated  that  he 
was  moving  in  an  opposite  direction  when  the  sabre 
overtook  him.  Having  received  neither  pay  for  his 
services  nor  pension  for  his  wound,  he  was  a little 
disgusted  with  patriotism  and  fighting  for  his  coun- 
try. He  was  by  trade  a blacksmith,  which  busi- 
ness, on  the  recommendation  of  Dona  Joaquina 
Peon,  he  had  given  up  to  enter  our  service.  His 
usefulness  and  capacity  were  first  clearly  brought 
out  at  Kabah.  Knowing  the  character  of  the  In- 
dians, speaking  their  language,  and  being  but  a few 
degrees  removed  from  them  by  blood,  he  could  get 
out  of  them  twice  as  much  work  as  I could.  Him, 
too,  they  could  ask  questions  about  us,  and  lighten 
labour  by  the  indulgence  of  social  humour,  and  very 
soon  I had  only  to  give  instructions  as  to  what 
work  was  to  be  done,  and  leave  the  whole  manage- 
ment of  it  to  him.  This  doubled  our  effective  force, 
as  we  could  work  with  two  sets  of  Indians  in  dif- 
ferent places  at  the  same  time,  and  gave  Albino  a 
much  greater  value  than  that  of  a common  servant 
He  had  one  bad  habit,  which  was  that  of  getting 
the  fever  and  ague.  This  he  was  constantly  fall- 
ing into,  and,  with  all  our  efforts,  we  could  never 
break  him  ol  it,  but,  unluckily,  we  never  set  him  a 


FESTIVAL  OF  CORPUS  ALMA.  375 


good  example.  In  the  mean  time  Bernaldo  sus- 
tained his  culinary  reputation  ; and,  avoiding  the 
bad  habit  of  Albino  and  his  masters,  while  all  the 
rest  of  us  were  lank  as  the  village  dogs  of  that 
country,  his  cheeks  seemed  always  ready  to  burst 
open. 

While  we  were  working  at  the  ruins,  the  people 
in  the  village  were  losing  no  time.  On  the  eleventh 
began  the  fiesta  of  Corpus  Alma,  a festival  of  nine 
days’  observance  in  honour  of  Santo  Cristo  del 
Amor.  Its  opening  was  announced  by  the  ringing 
of  church  bells  and  firing  of  rockets,  which,  fortu- 
nately, as  we  were  away  at  the  ruins,  we  avoided 
hearing ; but  in  the  evening  came  the  procession 
and  the  bade,  to  which  we  were  formally  invited 
by  a committee,  consisting  of  the  padrecito,  the  al- 
calde, and  a much  more  important  person  than 
either,  styled  El  Patron  del  Santo,  or  the  Patron  of 
the  Saint. 

I have  mentioned  that  Nohcacab  was  the  most 
backward  and  thoroughly  Indian  of  any  village  we 
had  visited.  With  this  strongly-marked  Indian 
character,  its  church  government  is  somewhat  pe- 
culiar, and  differs,  I believe,  from  that  of  all  the  oth- 
er villages.  Besides  smaller  saints,  the  favourites 
of  individuals,  it  has  nine  principal  ones,  who  have 
been  selected  as  special  objects  of  veneration  : San 
Mateo,  the  patron,  and  Santa  Barbara,  the  patroness 
of  the  village  ; Nuestra  Sehora  de  la  Concepcion; 
Nuestra  Senora  del  Rosario;  El  Senor  del  Trans- 


376 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


figuration ; El  Senor  de  Misericordia;  San  Antonio, 
the  patron  of  souls,  and  El  Santo  Cristo  del  Amor. 
Each  of  these  saints,  while  acting  as  patron  in  gen- 
eral, is  also  under  the  special  care  of  a patron  in 
particular. 

The  process  of  putting  a saint  under  patronage  is 
peculiar.  Among  the  images  distributed  around  the 
walls  of  the  church,  whenever  one  is  observed  to 
attract  particular  attention,  as,  for  instance,  if  In- 
dians are  found  frequently  kneeling  before  it,  and 
making  offerings,  the  padre  requires  of  the  cacique 
twelve  Indians  to  serve  and  take  care  of  the  saint, 
who  are  called  mayoles.  These  are  furnished  ac- 
cording to  the  requisition,  and  they  elect  a head, 
but  not  from  their  own  number,  who  is  called  the 
patron,  and  to  them  is  intrusted  the  guardianship 
of  the  saint.  The  padre,  in  his  robes  of  office,  ad- 
ministers an  oath,  which  is  sanctified  by  sprinkling 
them  with  holy  water.  The  patron  is  sworn  to 
watch  over  the  interests  of  the  saint,  to  take  care 
of  all  the  candles  and  other  offerings  presented  to 
him,  and  to  see  that  his  fete  is  properly  observed ; 
and  the  mayoles  are  sworn  to  obey  the  orders  of  the 
patron  in  all  things  touching  the  custody  and  ser- 
vice of  the  saint.  One  of  these  saints,  to  whom 
a patron  had  been  assigned,  was  called  El  Santo 
Cristo  del  Amor,  the  addition  having  reference  to 
the  love  of  the  Saviour  in  laying  down  his  life  for 
man.  The  circumstance  of  the  Saviour  being  rev- 
erenced as  a saint  was  as  new  to  us  as  that  of  a saint 


THE  PROCESSION. 


377 


having  a patron.  It  was  the  fiesta  of  this  saint 
which  was  now  celebrated,  and  to  which  we  were 
formally  invited.  We  accepted  the  invitation,  but, 
having  had  a hard  day’s  work,  we  were  taking  sup- 
per rather  leisurely,  when  the  patron  came  in  a hur- 
ry to  tell  us  that  the  procession  was  ready,  and  the 
saint  was  only  waiting  for  us.  Not  wishing  to  put 
him  to  this  inconvenience,  we  hurried  through  our 
meal,  and  proceeded  to  the  church. 

The  procession  had  formed  in  the  body  of  the 
church,  and  at  the  head  of  it,  in  the  doorway,  were 
Indians  bearing  the  cross.  Upon  our  arrival  it  be- 
gan to  move  with  a loud  chant,  and  under  the  di- 
rection of  the  patron.  Next  to  the  cross  were  four 
Indians,  bearing  on  a barrow  the  figure  of  the  saint, 
being  that  of  the  Saviour  on  the  cross,  about  a 
foot  high,  and  fastened  against  a broad  wooden  back 
with  a canopy  overhead,  and  a small  looking-glass 
on  each  side.  This  was  followed  by  the  patron 
and  his  mayoles,  the  padrecito  and  ourselves,  the 
vecinos,  or  white  people  of  the  village,  and  a long 
train  of  Indian  men  and  women,  bareheaded,  in 
white  dresses,  and  all  bearing  long  lighted  candles. 
Moving  down  the  great  steps  of  the  church  with  a 
loud  chant,  and  the  cross  and  the  figure  of  the  saint 
conspicuous  under  the  light  of  hundreds  of  candles, 
the  coup  d’oeil  of  the  procession  was  solemn  and 
imposing.  Its  march  wTas  toward  the  house  of  the 
patron,  and,  on  turning  up  the  street  that  led  to  it, 
we  noticed  a rope  stretched  along  it  for  perhaps  a 

Vol.  I.— B B B 


378 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


hundred  yards,  and  presently  a piece  of  fireworks 
was  set  off,  called  by  them  the  idas,  or  goers,  and 
known  by  pyrotechnists  among  us  as  flying  pigeons. 
The  flaming  ball  whizzed  along  the  rope  backward 
and  forward,  scattering  fire  on  the  heads  of  the 
people  underneath,  and  threw  the  whole  procession 
into  confusion  and  laughter.  The  saint  was  hur- 
ried into  a place  of  security,  and  the  people  filed  off 
on  each  side  of  the  rope,  out  of  reach  of  the  sparks. 
The  idas  went  off  with  universal  applause,  and 
showed  that  the  custody  of  the  saint  had  not  been 
placed  in  unworthy  hands.  This  over,  the  chant 
was  resumed,  and  the  procession  moved  on  till  it 
reached  the  house  of  the  patron,  at  the  door  of 
which  the  padrecito  chanted  a salve,  and  then  the 
saint  was  borne  within.  The  house  consisted  of  a 
single  long  room,  having  at  one  end  a temporary 
altar,  adorned  with  flowers,  and  at  the  other  a table, 
on  which  were  spread  dulces,  bread,  cheese,  and 
various  compound  mixtures  both  for  eating  and 
drinking. 

The  saint  was  set  up  on  the  altar,  and  in  a few 
minutes  the  patron  led  the  way,  through  a door  op- 
posite that  by  which  we  had  entered,  into  an  oblong 
enclosure  about  one  hundred  feet  long  and  forty  wide, 
having  an  arbour  of  palm  leaves  overhead.  The 
floor  was  of  hard  earth,  and  seats  were  arranged 
around  the  sides.  All  the  vecinos  followed,  and  we, 
as  strangers  and  attendants  of  the  padrecito  and  his 
family,  were  conducted  to  the  principal  places,  being 


THE  BALL. 


379 


a row  of  large  wooden  arm-chairs,  two  of  which 
were  occupied  by  the  padrecito’s  mother  and  sister. 
Very  soon  all  the  seats  were  occupied  by  whites  and 
Mestiza  women,  and  the  whole  enclosure,  with  the 
exception  of  a small  space  for  dancing,  was  filled  up 
with  Indian  servants  and  children  sitting  on  the 
ground. 

Preparations  were  immediately  made  for  dancing, 
and  the  ball  was  opened  by  the  patron  of  the  saint. 
This  patron  was  not  very  saintly  in  his  appearance, 
but  really  a most  respectable  man  in  his  deportment 
and  character,  and  in  his  youth  had  been  the  best 
bull-fighter  the  village  had  ever  produced. 

He  began  with  the  dance  called  the  toros.  The 
brother  of  the  padrecito  acted  as  master  of  the  cer- 
emonies, and  with  a pocket-handkerchief  called  out 
the  ladies  one  after  the  other,  until  every  dancing 
lady  present  had  had  her  turn. 

He  then  took  the  patron’s  place,  the  patron  act- 
ing as  Bastonero  in  his  stead,  and  called  out  again 
every  lady  who  chose  to  dance.  It  was  a bal  cham- 
petre,  in  which  no  costume  was  required,  and  the 
brother  of  the  padrecito,  who  had  opened  upon  us, 
as  alcalde  elect,  with  a black  dress-coat,  white  pan- 
taloons, and  fur  hat,  danced  in  shirt,  drawers,  straw 
hat,  and  sandals,  pieces  of  leather  on  the  soles  of 
his  feet,  with  cords  wound  round  nearly  up  to  the 
calf  of  the  leg. 

When  he  had  finished  we  were  solicited  to  take 


380  INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 

his  place,  which,  however,  though  with  some  diffi- 
culty, we  avoided. 

I have  not  yet  mentioned,  what  is  a subject  of  re- 
mark throughout  Yucatan,  and  was  particularly  man- 
ifest at  this  ball,  the  great  apparent  excess  of  female 
population.  This  excess  was  said  to  be  estimated 
at  the  rate  of  two  to  one;  but  although  it  was  an 
interesting  subject,  and  I was  seeking  for  statistical 
information  which  was  said  to  exist,  I could  not  ob- 
tain any  authentic  information  in  regard  to  it.  I 
have  no  doubt,  however,  that  there  are  many  more 
than  one  woman  to  one  man,  which  the  men  say 
makes  Yucatan  a great  country  to  live  in.  Perhaps 
this  is  one  reason  why  the  standard  of  morality  is 
not  very  high,  and  without  wishing  to  reflect  upon 
our  friends  in  Nohcacab,  as  this  was  a public  ball,  I 
cannot  help  mentioning  that  one  of  the  most  per- 
sonally attractive  and  lady-like  looking  women  at 
the  ball  was  the  amiga  of  a married  man,  whose 
wife  had  left  him  ; the  best  dressed  and  most  distin- 
guished young  lady  was  the  daughter  of  the  padre 
who  died  in  one  of  our  rooms,  and  who,  strictly 
speaking,  ought  never  to  have  had  any  daughters; 
and  in  instances  so  numerous  as  not  to  be  noticed 
by  the  people,  husbands  without  wives  and  wives 
without  husbands  were  mingling  unrestrainedly  to- 
gether. Many  of  the  white  people  could  not  speak 
Spanish,  and  the  conversation  was  almost  exclusive- 
ly in  the  Maya  language. 

It  was  the  first  time  we  had  appeared  in  society, 


A DANCE. 


381 


and  we  were  really  great  lions — in  fact,  equal  to  an 
entire  menagerie.  Whenever  we  moved,  all  eyes 
were  turned  upon  us ; when  we  spoke,  all  were 
silent ; and  when  we  spoke  with  each  other  in 
English,  all  laughed.  In  the  interlude  for  refresh- 
ments, they  had  seen  us  eat,  and  all  that  they  want- 
ed was  to  see  us  dance.  The  padrecito  told  us 
we  should  be  obliged  to  come  out.  A dance  was 
introduced  called  Saca  el  suyo,  or  “ take  out  your 
own,”  which  brought  us  all  out.  The  patron  then 
called  out  the  mother  of  the  padrecito,  a heavy  old 
lady,  whose  dancing  days  were  long  since  over,  but 
she  went  through  her  part  convulsed  with  laughter, 
and  then  called  out  her  son,  the  padrecito,  who,  to 
the  great  merriment  of  the  whole  company,  tried  to 
avoid  the  challenge,  but,  once  started,  showed  him- 
self decidedly  the  best  dancer  at  the  ball.  At  elev- 
en o’clock  the  ball  broke  up  with  great  good  hu- 
mour ; the  vecinos  lighted  their  torches,  and  all  went 
home  in  a body,  filing  off  at  different  streets.  The 
Indians  remained  to  take  their  places,  and  pass  the 
night  in  the  ball-room,  dancing  in  honour  of  the 
saint. 

Every  evening,  besides  numerous  visiters,  we  had 
the  baile  for  recreation.  When  we  did  not  go, 
Albino  did.  His  intelligence  and  position  as  our 
head  man  gave  him  a degree  of  consequence,  and 
admitted  him  within  the  arbour,  where  he  complete- 
ly eclipsed  his  masters,  and  was  considered  the  best 
dancer  in  the  place  except  the  padrecito. 


382 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

Ruins  of  Kabah.  — General  Description.  — Plan  of  the  Ruins. — 
Great  Teocalis. — Ruined  Apartments. — Grand  View. — Terrace 
and  Buildings. — Ranges  of  Buildings. — Hieroglyphics. — A rich 
Fa9ade. — Wooden  Lintels. — Singular  Structures. — Apartments, 
&c. — Rankness  of  Tropical  Vegetation. — Edifice  called  the  Co- 
cina. — Majestic  pile  of  Buildings.  — Apartments,  &c. — A soli- 
tary Arch.  — A Succession  of  ruined  Buildings.  — Apartments, 
&c. — Prints  of  the  Red  Hand.  — Sculptured  Lintel.  — Instru- 
ments used  by  the  Aboriginals  for  Carving  Wood.  — Ruined 
Structure. — Ornament  in  Stucco. — Great  ruined  Building. — Cu- 
rious Chamber,  &c. — Sculptured  Jambs. — Another  Witness  for 
these  ruined  Cities. — Last  Visit  to  Kabah. — Its  recent  Discov- 
ery.— A great  Charnel  House. — Funeral  Procession. — A Ball  by 
Daylight.— The  Procession  of  the  Candles. — Closing  Scene. 

In  the  mean  time  we  continued  our  work  at  Ka- 
bah, and,  during  all  our  intercourse  with  the  In- 
dians, we  were  constantly  inquiring  for  other  places 
of  ruins.  In  this  we  were  greatly  assisted  by  the 
padrecito  ; indeed,  but  for  him,  and  the  channels 
of  information  opened  to  us  through  him,  some 
places  which  are  presented  in  these  pages  would 
perhaps  never  have  been  discovered.  He  had  al- 
ways eight  Indian  sextons,  selected  from  the  most 
respectable  of  the  inhabitants,  to  take  care  of 
the  church,  who,  when  not  wanted  to  assist  at 
masses,  salves,  or  funerals,  were  constantly  lounging 
about  our  door,  always  tipsy,  and  glad  to  be  called 
in.  These  sextons  knew  every  Indian  in  the  vil- 
lage, and  the  region  in  which  he  had  his  milpa,  or 
cornfield  ; and  through  them  we  were  continually 


IGNORANCE  OF  THE  INDIANS.  383 

making  inquiries.  All  the  mins  scattered  about  the 
country  are  known  to  the  Indians  under  the  gener- 
al name  of  “Xlap-pahk,”  which  means  in  Spanish 
“ paredes  viejas,”  and  in  English  “ old  walls.”  The 
information  we  obtained  was  in  general  so  confused 
that  we  were  unable  to  form  any  idea  of  the  extent 
or  character  of  the  ruins.  We  could  establish  no 
standard  of  comparison,  as  those  who  told  us  of  one 
place  were,  perhaps,  not  familiar  with  any  other,  so 
that  it  was  necessary  to  see  all ; and  we  had  one 
perplexity,  the  magnitude  of  which  can  hardly  be 
conceived,  in  the  extraordinary  ignorance  of  all  the 
people,  whites  and  Indians,  in  regard  to  the  geog- 
raphy of  their  own  immediate  neighbourhood.  A 
place  they  had  never  visited,  though  but  a few 
leagues  distant,  they  knew  nothing  about,  and,  from 
the  extreme  difficulty  of  ascertaining  the  juxtaposi- 
tion of  places,  it  was  hard  to  arrange  the  plan  of 
a route  so  as  to  embrace  several.  T o some  I made 

preliminary  visits ; those  from  which  I expected 
most  turned  out  not  worth  the  trouble  of  going  to, 
while  others,  from  which  I expected  but  little,  proved 
extremely  interesting.  Almost  every  evening,  on 
returning  to  the  convent,  the  padrecito  hurried 
into  our  room,  with  the  greeting,  “ buenas  noticias! 
otras  ruinas !”  “ good  news ! more  ruins  !”  and  at 
one  time  these  noticias  came  in  so  fast  that  I sent 
Albino  on  a two  days’  excursion  to  “ do”  some  pre- 
liminary visits,  who  returned  with  a report  justify- 
ing my  opinion  of  his  judgment,  and  a bruised  leg 


384 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


from  climbing  over  a mound,  which  disabled  him  for 
some  days. 

As  these  pages  will  be  sufficiently  burdened,  I 
shall  omit  all  the  preliminary  visits,  and  present 
the  long  line  of  ruined  cities  in  the  order  in  which 
we  visited  them  for  the  purposes  of  exploration. 
Chichen  was  the  only  place  we  heard  of  in  Mer- 
ida, and  the  only  place  we  knew  of  with  absolute 
certainty  before  we  embarked  for  Yucatan;  but  we 
found  that  a vast  field  of  research  lay  between  us 
and  it,  and,  not  to  delay  the  reader,  I proceed  at 
once  to  the  ruins  of  Kabah. 

The  engraving  opposite  represents  the  plan  of  the 
buildings  of  this  city.  It  is  not  made  from  actual 
measurements,  for  this  would  have  required  clear- 
ings which,  from  the  difficulty  of  procuring  Indians, 
it  would  have  been  impossible  to  make ; but  the 
bearings  were  taken  with  the  compass  from  the  top 
of  the  great  teocalis,  and  the  distances  are  laid 
down  according  to  our  best  judgment  with  the  eye. 

On  this  plan  the  reader  will  see  a road  marked 
“ Camino  Real  to  Bolonchen,”  and  on  the  left  a path 
marked  “ Path  to  Milpa.”  Following  this  path  to- 
ward the  field  of  ruins,  the  teocalis  is  the  first  ob- 
ject that  meets  his  eye,  grand,  picturesque,  mined, 
and  covered  with  trees,  like  the  House  of  the  Dwarf 
at  Uxmal,  towering  above  every  other  object  on  the 
plain.  It  is  about  one  hundred  and  eighty  feet 
square  at  the  base,  and  rises  in  a pyramidal  form  to 
the  height  of  eighty  feet.  At  the  foot  is  a range  of 


To  face  page  384. 


■ 


/ 


A MOUND. RUINED  BUILDINGS. 


387 


ruined  apartments.  The  steps  are  all  fallen,  and 
the  sides  present  a surface  of  loose  stones,  difficult 
to  climb,  except  on  one  side,  where  the  ascent  is 
rendered  practicable  by  the  aid  of  trees.  The  top 
presents  a grand  view.  I ascended  it  for  the  first 
time  toward  evening,  when  the  sun  was  about  set- 
ting, and  the  ruined  buildings  were  casting  length- 
ened shadows  over  the  plain.  At  the  north,  south, 
and  east  the  view  was  bounded  by  a range  of  hills. 
In  part  of  the  field  of  ruins  was  a clearing,  in  which 
stood  a deserted  rancho,  and  the  only  indication 
that  we  were  in  the  vicinity  of  man  was  the  distant 
church  in  the  village  of  Nohcacab. 

Leaving  this  mound,  again  taking  the  milpa  path, 
and  following  it  to  the  distance  of  three  or  four  hun- 
dred yards,  we  reach  the  foot  of  a terrace  twenty 
feet  high,  the  edge  of  which  is  overgrown  with  trees ; 
ascending  this,  we  stand  on  a platform  two  hundred 
feet  in  width  by  one  hundred  and  forty-two  feet 
deep,  and  facing  us  is  the  building  represented  in 
the  plate  opposite.  On  the  right  of  the  platform,  as 
we  approach  this  building,  is  a high  range  of  struc- 
tures, ruined  and  overgrown  with  trees,  with  an  im- 
mense back  wall  built  on  the  outer  line  of  the  plat- 
form, perpendicular  to  the  bottom  of  the  terrace. 
On  the  left  is  another  range  of  ruined  buildings,  not 
so  grand  as  those  on  the  right,  and  in  the  centre  of 
the  platform  is  a stone  enclosure  twenty-seven  feet 
square  and  seven  feet  high,  like  that  surrounding  the 
picote  at  Uxmal ; but  the  layer  of  stones  around  the 


388 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


base  was  sculptured,  and,  on  examination,  we  found 
a continuous  line  of  hieroglyphics.  Mr.  Cather- 
wood  made  drawings  of  these  as  they  lay  scattered 
about,  but,  as  I cannot  present  them  in  the  order  in 
which  they  stood,  they  are  omitted  altogether. 

In  the  centre  of  the  platform  is  a range  of  stone 
steps  forty  feet  wide  and  twenty  in  number,  leading 
to  an  upper  terrace,  on  which  stands  the  building. 
This  building  is  one  hundred  and  fifty-one  feet  front, 
and  the  moment  we  saw  it  we  were  struck  with  the 
extraordinary  richness  and  ornament  of  its  facade. 
In  all  the  buildings  of  Uxmal,  without  a single  ex- 
ception, up  to  the  cornice  which  runs  over  the  door- 
way the  facades  are  of  plain  stone ; but  this  was 
ornamented  from  the  very  foundation,  two  layers 
under  the  lower  cornice,  to  the  top. 

The  reader  will  observe  that  a great  part  of  this 
facade  has  fallen ; toward  the  north  end,  however, 
a portion  of  about  twenty-five  feet  remains,  which, 
though  not  itself  entire,  shows  the  gorgeousness 
of  decoration  with  which  this  facade  was  once 
adorned.  The  plate  opposite  represents  this  part, 
exactly  as  it  stands,  with  the  cornice  over  the  top 
fallen. 

The  ornaments  are  of  the  same  character  with 
those  at  Uxmal,  alike  complicated  and  incompre- 
hensible, and  from  the  fact  that  every  part  of  the 
facade  was  ornamented  with  sculpture,  even  to  the 
portion  now  buried  under  the  lower  cornice,  the 
whole  must  have  presented  a greater  appearance  of 


XABAH. 

Detail  of  Ornament . 1st  Casa 


LINTELS. SINGULAR  STRUCTURE.  389 

richness  than  any  building  at  Uxmal.  The  cornice 
running  over  the  doorways  (which  is  stamped  on 
the  cover  of  this  work),  tried  by  the  severest  rules 
of  art  recognised  among  us,  would  embellish  the 
architecture  of  any  known  era,  and,  amid  a mass 
of  barbarism,  of  rude  and  uncouth  conceptions,  it 
stands  as  an  offering  by  American  builders  worthy 
of  the  acceptance  of  a polished  people. 

The  lintels  of  the  doorways  were  of  wood  ; these 
are  all  fallen,  and  of  all  the  ornaments  which  deco- 
rated them  not  one  now  remains.  No  doubt  they 
corresponded  in  beauty  of  sculpture  with  the  rest 
of  the  facade.  The  whole  now  lies  a mass  of  rub- 
bish and  ruin  at  the  foot  of  the  wall. 

On  the  top  is  a structure  which,  at  a distance,  as 
seen  indistinctly  through  the  trees,  had  the  appear- 
ance of  a second  story,  and,  as  we  approached,  it 
reminded  us  of  the  towering  structures  on  the  top 
of  some  of  the  mined  buildings  at  Palenque. 

The  access  to  this  structure  was  by  no  means 
easy.  There  was  no  staircase  or  other  visible 
means  of  communication,  either  within  or  without 
the  building,  but  in  the  rear  the  wall  and  roof  had 
fallen,  and  made  in  some  places  high  mounds  reach- 
ing nearly  to  the  top.  Climbing  up  these  tottering 
fabrics  was  not  free  from  danger.  Parts  which  ap- 
peared substantial  had  not  the  security  of  buildings 
constructed  according  to  true  principles  of  art ; at 
times  it  was  impossible  to  discover  the  supporting 
power,  and  the  disorderly  masses  seemed  held  up  by 


390 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


an  invisible  hand.  While  we  were  clearing  off  the 
trees  upon  the  roof,  a shower  came  up  suddenly,  and, 
as  we  were  hurrying  to  descend  and  take  refuge  in 
one  of  the  apartments  below,  a stone  on  the  edge  of 
the  cornice  gave  way  and  carried  me  down  with  it. 
By  great  good  fortune,  underneath  was  a mound  of 
mins  which  reached  nearly  to  the  roof,  and  saved 
me  from  a fall  that  would  have  been  most  serious, 
if  not  fatal,  in  its  consequences.  The  expression 
on  the  face  of  an  Indian  attendant  as  he  saw  me 
going  was  probably  a faint  reflection  of  my  own. 

The  structure  on  the  top  of  this  building  is  about 
fifteen  feet  high  and  four  feet  thick,  and  extends 
over  the  back  wall  of  the  front  range  of  apartments, 
the  whole  length  of  the  edifice.  In  many  places  it 
has  fallen,  but  we  were  now  more  struck  than  when 
at  a distance  with  its  general  resemblance  to  the 
ruined  structures  on  the  top  of  some  of  the  build- 
ings at  Palenque.  The  latter  were  stuccoed ; this 
was  of  cut  stone,  and  more  chaste  and  simple.  It 
could  not  have  been  intended  for  any  use  as  part 
of  the  edifice ; the  only  purpose  we  could  ascribe 
to  it  was  that  of  ornament , as  it  improved  the  ap- 
pearance of  the  building  seen  from  a distance,  and 
set  it  off  with  great  effect  on  near  approach. 

I have  said  that  we  were  somewhat  excited  by 
the  first  view  of  the  facade  of  this  building.  As- 
cending the  steps  and  standing  in  the  doorway  of 
the  centre  apartment,  we  broke  out  into  an  excla- 
mation of  surprise  and  admiration.  At  Uxmal  there 


APARTMENTS. 


391 


was  no  variety ; the  interiors  of  all  the  apartments 
were  the  same.  Here  we  were  presented  with  a 
scene  entirely  new.  The  plate  opposite  represents 
the  interior  of  this  apartment.  It  consists  of  two 
parallel  chambers,  the  one  in  front  being  twenty- 
seven  feet  long  and  ten  feet  six  inches  wide,  and 
the  other  of  the  same  length,  but  a few  inches  nar- 
rower, communicating  by  a door  in  the  centre. 
The  inner  room  is  raised  two  feet  eight  inches 
higher  than  the  front,  and  the  ascent  is  by  two 
stone  steps  carved  out  of  a single  block  of  stone,  the 
lower  one  being  in  the  form  of  a scroll.  The  sides 
of  the  steps  are  ornamented  with  sculpture,  as  is 
also  the  wall  under  the  doorway.  The  whole  de- 
sign is  graceful  and  pretty,  and,  as  a mere  matter 
of  taste,  the  effect  is  extremely  good.  Here,  on  the 
first  day  of  our  arrival,  we  spread  out  our  provisions, 
and  ate  to  the  memory  of  the  former  tenant.  His 
own  domains  could  not  furnish  us  with  water,  and 
we  were  supplied  from  the  wells  of  Nohcacab. 

In  the  engraving  but  one  doorway  appears  on 
each  side  of  the  centre,  the  front  wall  at  the  two 
ends  having  fallen.  On  both  sides  of  this  centre 
doorway  were  two  other  doorways  opening  into 
apartments.  Each  apartment  contains  two  cham- 
bers, with  the  back  one  raised,  but  there  are  no 
steps,  and  the  only  ornament  is  a row  of  small  pi- 
lasters about  two  feet  high  under  the  door,  and  run- 
ning the  whole  length  of  the  room. 

Such  is  a brief  description  of  the  facade  and  front 


392 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


apartments,  and  these  formed  not  more  than  one 
third  of  the  building.  At  the  rear  and  under  the 
same  roof  were  two  ranges  of  apartments  of  the 
same  dimensions  with  those  just  described,  and 
having  a rectangular  area  in  front.  The  whole 
edifice  formed  nearly  a square,  and  though  having 
less  front,  with  a great  solid  mass,  nearly  as  thick  as 
one  of  the  corridors,  for  the  centre  wall,  it  covered 
nearly  as  many  square  feet  as  the  Casa  del  Goberna- 
dor,  and  probably,  from  its  lavishness  of  ornament, 
contained  more  sculptured  stone.  The  rest  of  the 
building,  however,  was  in  a much  more  ruinous  con- 
dition than  that  presented.  At  both  ends  the  wall 
had  fallen,  and  the  whole  of  the  other  front,  with 
the  roof,  and  the  ruins  filled  up  the  apartments  so 
that  it  was  extremely  difficult  to  make  out  the  plan. 

The  whole  of  the  terrace  on  this  latter  side  is  over- 
grown with  trees,  some  of  which  have  taken  root 
among  the  fragments,  and  are  growing  out  of  the  in- 
terior of  the  chambers. 

The  sketch  opposite  will  give  some  idea  of  the 
manner  in  which  the  rankness  of  tropical  vegetation 
is  hurrying  to  destruction  these  interesting  remains. 
The  tree  is  called  the  alamo,  or  elm,  the  leaves  of 
which,  with  those  of  the  ramon,  form  in  that  coun- 
try the  principal  fodder  for  horses.  Springing  up 
beside  the  front  wall,  its  fibres  crept  into  cracks  and 
crevices,  and  became  shoots  and  branches,  which,  as 
the  trunk  rose,  in  struggling  to  rise  with  it,  unset- 
tled and  overturned  the  wall,  and  still  grew,  carry- 


To  face  page  392,  vol.  I. 


\ 


RUINED  BUILDING  CALLED  THE  COCINA.  395 

ing  up  large  stones  fast  locked  in  their  embraces, 
which  they  now  hold  aloft  in  the  air.  At  the  same 
time,  its  roots  have  girded  the  foundation  wall,  and 
form  the  only  support  of  what  is  left.  The  great 
branches  overshadowing  the  whole  cannot  be  exhib- 
ited in  the  plate,  and  no  sketch  can  convey  a true 
idea  of  the  ruthless  gripe  in  which  these  gnarled  and 
twisted  roots  encircle  sculptured  stones. 

Such  is  a brief  description  of  the  first  building  at 
Kabah.  To  many  of  these  structures  the  Indians 
have  given  names  stupid,  senseless,  and  unmeaning, 
having  no  reference  to  history  or  tradition.  This 
one  they  call  Xcoapoop,  which  means  in  Spanish 
petato  doblade,  or  a straw  hat  doubled  up  ; the  name 
having  reference  to  the  crushed  and  flattened  con- 
dition of  the  facade  and  the  prostration  of  the  rear 
wall  of  the  building. 

Descending  the  corner  of  the  back  terrace,  at  the 
distance  of  a few  paces  rises  a broken  and  over- 
grown mound,  on  which  stands  a ruined  building, 
called  by  the  Indians  the  cocina,  or  kitchen,  be- 
cause, as  they  said,  it  had  chimneys  to  let  out  smoke. 
According  to  their  accounts,  it  must  have  contained 
something  curious ; and  it  was  peculiarly  unfortu- 
nate that  wre  had  not  reached  it  one  year  sooner, 
for  then  it  stood  entire.  During  the  last  rainy  sea- 
son some  muleteers  from  Merida,  scouring  the  coun- 
try in  search  of  maize,  were  overtaken  by  the  after- 
noon’s rain,  and  took  shelter  under  its  roof,  turning 
their  mules  out  to  graze  among  the  ruins.  During 


396 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL 


the  night  the  building  fell,  but,  fortunately,  the  mu- 
leteers escaped  unhurt,  and,  leaving  their  mules  be- 
hind them,  in  the  darkness  and  rain  made  the  best  of 
their  way  to  Nohcacab,  reporting  that  El  Demonio 
was  among  the  ruins  of  Kabah. 

On  the  left  of  this  mound  is  a staircase  leading 
down  to  the  area  of  Casa  No.  2,  and  on  the  right 
is  a grand  and  majestic  pile  of  buildings,  having  no 
name  assigned  to  it,  and  which,  perhaps,  when  en- 
tire, was  the  most  imposing  structure  at  Kabah.  It 
measured  at  the  base  one  hundred  and  forty-seven 
feet  on  one  side  and  one  hundred  and  six  on  the 
other,  and  consisted  of  three  distinct  stories  or 
ranges,  one  on  the  roof  of  the  other,  the  second 
smaller  than  the  first,  and  the  third  smaller  than  the 
second,  having  on  each  side  a broad  platform  in 
front.  Along  the  base  on  all  four  of  the  sides  was 
a continuous  range  of  apartments,  with  the  door- 
ways supported  by  pillars,  and  on  the  side  fronting 
the  rear  of  Casa  No.  1 was  another  new  and  inter- 
esting feature. 

This  was  a gigantic  stone  staircase,  rising  to  the 
roof,  on  which  stood  the  second  range  of  apart- 
ments. This  staircase  was  not  a solid  mass,  resting 
against  the  wall  of  the  mound,  but  was  supported 
by  the  half  of  a triangular  arch  springing  from  the 
ground,  and  resting  against  the  wTall  so  as  to  leave 
a passage  under  the  staircase.  This  staircase  was 
interesting  not  only  for  its  own  grandeur  and  the 
novelty  of  its  construction,  but  as  explaining  what 


RANGES  OF  BUILDINGS. 


397 


had  before  been  unintelligible  in  regard  to  the  prin- 
cipal staircase  in  the  House  of  the  Dwarf  at  Uxmal. 

The  steps  of  this  staircase  are  nearly  all  fallen, 
and  the  ascent  is  as  on  an  inclined  plane.  The 
buildings  on  the  top  are  ruined,  and  many  of  the 
doorways  so  encumbered  that  there  was  barely  room 
to  crawl  into  them.  On  one  occasion,  while  clear- 
ing around  this  so  as  to  make  a plan,  rain  came  on, 
and  I was  obliged  to  crawl  into  one  with  all  the  In- 
dians, and  remain  in  the  dark,  breathing  a damp 
and  unwholesome  atmosphere,  pent  up  and  almost 
stifled,  for  more  than  an  hour. 

The  doorways  of  the  ranges  on  the  north  side 
of  this  mound  opened  upon  the  area  of  Casa  No  2. 
The  platform  of  this  area  is  one  hundred  and  seventy 
feet  long,  one  hundred  and  ten  broad,  and  is  eleva- 
ted ten  feet  from  the  ground.  It  had  been  planted 
with  corn,  and  required  little  clearing.  The  plate 
opposite  represents  the  front  of  this  building,  and  the 
picote,  or  great  stone  found  thrown  down  in  all  the 
courtyards  and  areas,  is  exhibited  on  one  side  in  the 
engraving.  The  edifice  stands  upon  an  upper  ter- 
race ; forming  a breastwork  for  which,  and  run- 
ning; the  whole  length,  one  hundred  and  sixty-four 
feet,  is  a range  of  apartments,  with  their  doors  open- 
ing upon  the  area.  The  front  wall  and  the  roof  of 
this  range  have  nearly  all  fallen. 

A rained  staircase  rises  from  the  centre  of  the 
platform  to  the  roof  of  this  range,  which  forms  the 
platform  in  front  of  the  principal  building. 

34 


398 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


This  staircase,  like  that  last  mentioned,  is  sup- 
ported by  the  half  of  a triangular  arch,  precisely  like 
the  other  already  mentioned.  The  whole  front 
was  ornamented  with  sculpture,  and  the  ornaments 
best  preserved  are  over  the  doorway  of  the  centre 
apartment,  which,  being  underneath  the  staircase, 
cannot  be  exhibited  in  the  engraving. 

The  principal  building,  it  will  be  seen,  has  pillars 
in  two  of  its  doorways.  At  this  place,  for  the  first 
time,  we  met  with  pillars  used  legitimately,  accord- 
ing to  the  rules  of  known  architecture,  as  a support, 
and  they  added  greatly  to  the  interest  which  the 
other  novelties  here  disclosed  to  us  presented. 
These  pillars,  however,  were  but  six  feet  high, 
rude  and  unpolished,  with  square  blocks  of  stone 
for  capitals  and  pedestals.  They  wanted  the  ar- 
chitectural majesty  and  grandeur  which  in  other 
styles  is  always  connected  with  the  presence  of  pil- 
lars, but  they  were  not  out  of  proportion,  and,  in 
fact,  were  adapted  to  the  lowness  of  the  building. 
The  lintels  over  the  doors  are  of  stone. 

Leaving  this  building,  and  crossing  an  overgrown 
and  wooded  plain,  at  the  distance  of  about  three 
hundred  and  fifty  yards  we  reach  the  terrace  of 
Casa  No.  3.  The  platform  of  this  terrace,  too,  had 
been  planted  with  corn,  and  was  easily  cleared. 
The  plate  opposite  represents  the  front  of  the  edifice, 
which,  when  we  first  came  upon  it,  was  so  beauti- 
fully shrouded  by  trees  that  it  was  painful  to  be 
obliged  to  disturb  them,  and  we  spared  every  branch 


KAB  AH 


A SOLITARY  ARCH. 


399 


that  did  not  obstruct  the  view.  While  Mr.  Cather- 
wood  was  making  his  drawing,  rain  came  on,  and, 
as  he  might  not  be  able  to  get  his  camera  lucida  in 
position  again,  he  continued  his  work,  with  the  pro- 
tection of  an  India-rubber  cloak  and  an  Indian  hold- 
ing an  umbrella  over  the  stand.  The  rain  was  of 
that  sudden  and  violent  character  often  met  with  in 
tropical  climates,  and  in  a few  minutes  flooded  the 
whole  ground.  The  washing  of  the  water  from  the 
upper  terrace  appears  in  the  engraving. 

This  building  is  called  by  the  Indians  la  Casa  de 
la  Justicia.  It  is  one  hundred  and  thirteen  feet 
long.  There  are  five  apartments,  each  twenty  feet 
long  and  nine  wide,  and  all  perfectly  plain.  The 
front  is  plain,  except  the  pillars  in  the  wall  between 
the  doorways  indicated  in  the  engraving ; and 
above,  in  front,  at  the  end,  and  on  the  back  are 
rows  of  small  pillars,  forming  a simple  and  not  in- 
elegant ornament. 

Besides  these,  there  are  on  this  side  of  the  cam- 
ino  real  the  remains  of  other  buildings,  but  all  in  a 
ruinous  condition,  and  there  is  one  monument,  per- 
haps more  curious  and  interesting  than  any  that  has 
been  presented.  It  is  a lonely  arch,  of  the  same 
form  with  all  the  rest,  having  a span  of  fourteen 
feet.  It  stands  on  a ruined  mound,  disconnected 
from  every  other  structure,  in  solitary  grandeur. 
Darkness  rests  upon  its  history,  but  in  that  desola- 
tion and  solitude,  among  the  ruins  around,  it  stood 
like  the  proud  memorial  of  a Roman  triumph. 


400 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


Perhaps,  like  the  arch  of  Titus,  which  at  this  day 
spans  the  Sacred  Way  at  Rome,  it  was  erected  to 
commemorate  a victory  over  enemies. 

These  were  all  the  principal  remains  on  this  side 
of  the  camino  real ; they  were  all  to  which  our  In- 
dian guides  conducted  us,  and,  excepting  two  men- 
tioned hereafter,  they  were  all  of  which,  up  to  that 
time,  any  knowledge  existed ; but  on  the  other  side 
of  the  camino  real,  shrouded  by  trees,  were  the 
trembling  and  tottering  skeletons  of  buildings  which 
had  once  been  grander  than  these. 


AN  EXPLOIT. 


401 


From  the  top  of  the  great  teocalis  we  had  our 
first  glimpses  of  these  edifices.  Following  the  cam- 
ino  real  to  a point  about  in  a range  with  the  tri- 
umphal arch,  there  is  a narrow  path  which  leads  to 
two  buildings  enclosed  by  a fence  for  a milpa. 
They  are  small,  and  but  little  ornamented.  They 
stand  at  right  angles  to  each  other,  and  in  front  of 
them  is  a patio,  in  which  is  a large  broken  orifice, 
like  the  mouth  of  a cave,  with  a tree  growing  near 
the  edge  of  it.  My  first  visit  to  this  place  was 
marked  by  a brilliant  exploit  on  the  part  of  my 
horse.  On  dismounting,  Mr.  Catherwood  found 
shade  for  his  horse,  Doctor  Cabot  got  his  into  one 
of  the  buildings,  and  I tied  mine  to  this  tree,  giving 
him  fifteen  or  twenty  feet  of  halter  as  a range  for 
pasture.  Here  we  left  them,  but  on  our  return  in 
the  evening  my  horse  was  missing,  and,  as  we  sup- 
posed, stolen  ; but  before  we  reached  the  tree  I saw 
the  halter  still  attached  to  it,  and  knew  that  an  In- 
dian would  be  much  more  likely  to  steal  the  halter 
and  leave  the  horse  than  vice  versa.  The  halter 
was  drawn  down  into  the  mouth  of  the  cave,  and 
looking  over  the  edge,  I saw  the  horse  hanging  at 
the  other  end,  with  just  rope  enough,  by  stretching 
his  head  and  neck,  to  keep  a foothold  at  one  side 
of  the  cave.  One  of  his  sides  was  scratched  and 
grimed  with  dirt,  and  it  seemed  as  if  every  bone  in 
his  body  must  be  broken,  but  on  getting  him  out  wre 
found  that,  except  some  scarifications  of  the  skin,  he 
was  not  at  all  hurt ; in  fact,  he  was  quite  the  reverse, 
Vol.  I. — E E E 


402 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


and  never  moved  better  than  on  our  return  to  the 
village. 

Beyond  these  buildings,  none  of  the  Indians  knew 
of  any  ruins.  Striking  directly  from  them  in  a 
westerly  direction  through  a thick  piece  of  woods, 
without  being  able  to  see  anything,  but  from  ob- 
servation taken  from  the  top  of  the  teocalis,  and 
passing  a small  ruined  building  with  a staircase 
leading  to  the  roof,  we  reached  a great  terrace,  per- 
haps eight  hundred  feet  long  and  one  hundred  feet 
wide.  This  terrace,  besides  being  overgrown  with 
trees,  was  covered  with  thorn-bushes,  and  the  ma- 
guey plant,  or  Agave  Americana,  with  points  as  sharp 
as  needles,  which  made  it  impossible  to  move  with- 
out cutting  the  way  at  every  step. 

T wo  buildings  stood  upon  this  overgrown  terrace. 
The  first  was  two  hundred  and  seventeen  feet  long, 
having  seven  doorways  in  front,  all  opening  to  single 
apartments  except  the  centre  one,  which  had  two 
apartments,  each  thirty  feet  long.  In  the  rear  were 
other  apartments,  with  doonvays  opening  upon  a 
courtyard,  and  from  the  centre  a range  of  buildings 
ran  at  right  angles,  terminating  in  a large  ruined 
mound.  The  wall  of  the  whole  of  this  great  pile 
had  been  more  ornamented  than  either  of  the  build- 
ings before  presented  except  the  first,  but,  unfortu- 
nately, it  was  more  dilapidated.  The  doorways  had 
wooden  lintels,  most  of  which  have  fallen. 

To  the  north  of  this  building  is  another,  one  hun- 
dred and  forty-two  feet  in  front  and  thirty-one  feet 


SCULPTURED  LINTEL. 


403 


deep,  with  double  corridors  communicating,  and  a 
gigantic  staircase  in  the  centre  leading  to  the  roof, 
on  which  are  the  ruins  of  another  building.  The 
doors  of  two  centre  apartments  open  under  the  arch 
of  this  great  staircase.  In  that  on  the  right  we 
again  found  the  prints  of  the  red  hand  ; not  a single 
print,  or  two,  or  three,  as  in  other  places,  but  the 
whole  wall  was  covered  with  them,  bright  and  dis- 
tinct as  if  but  newly  made. 

All  the  lintels  over  the  doorways  are  of  wood,  and 
all  are  still  in  their  places,  mostly  sound  and  solid. 
The  doorways  were  encumbered  with  rubbish  and 
ruins.  That  nearest  the  staircase  was  filled  up  to 
within  three  feet  of  the  lintel ; and,  in  crawling  un- 
der on  his  back,  to  measure  the  apartment,  Mr. 
Catherwood’s  eye  was  arrested  by  a sculptured  lin- 
tel, which,  on  examination,  he  considered  the  most 
interesting  memorial  we  had  found  in  Yucatan. 
On  my  return  that  day  from  a visit  to  three  more 
ruined  cities  entirely  unknown  before,  he  claimed 
this  lintel  as  equal  in  interest  and  value  to  all  of 
them  together.  The  next  day  I saw  them,  and  de- 
termined immediately,  at  any  trouble  or  cost,  to 
carry  them  home  with  me ; but  this  was  no  easy 
matter.  Our  operations  created  much  discussion  in 
the  village.  The  general  belief  was  that  we  were 
searching  for  gold.  No  one  could  believe  that  we 
were  expending  money  in  such  a business  without 
being  sure  of  getting  it  back  again;  and  remember- 
ing the  fate  of  my  castings  at  Palenque,  I was  afraid 
\ 


404 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


to  have  it  known  that  there  was  anything  worth 
carrying  away. 

To  get  them  out  by  our  own  efforts,  however, 
was  impossible ; and,  after  conferring  with  the  pa- 
drecito,  we  procured  a good  set  of  men,  and  went 
down  with  crowbars  for  the  purpose  of  working 
them  out  of  the  wall.  Doctor  Cabot,  who  had  been 
confined  to  the  village  for  several  days  by  illness, 
turned  out  on  this  great  occasion. 

The  lintel  consisted  of  two  beams,  and  the  outer 
one  was  split  in  two  lengthwise.  They  lapped  over 
the  doorway  about  a foot  at  each  end,  and  were  as 
firmly  secured  as  any  stones  in  the  building,  having 
been  built  in  when  the  wall  was  constructed.  For- 
tunately, we  had  two  crowbars,  and  the  doorway 
being  filled  up  with  earth  both  inside  and  out,  the 
men  were  enabled  to  stand  above  the  beam,  and  use 
the  crowbars  to  advantage.  They  began  inside,  and 
in  about  two  hours  cleared  the  lintel  directly  over 
the  doorway,  but  the  ends  were  still  firmly  secured. 
The  beams  were  about  ten  feet  long,  and  to  keep 
the  whole  wall  from  falling  and  crushing  them,  it 
was  necessary  to  knock  away  the  stones  over  the 
centre,  and  make  an  arch  in  proportion  to  the  base. 
The  wall  was  four  feet  thick  over  the  doorway,  in- 
creasing in  thickness  with  the  receding  of  the  inner 
arch,  and  the  whole  was  a solid  mass,  the  mortar 
being  nearly  as  hard  as  the  stone.  As  the  breach 
was  enlarged  it  became  dangerous  to  stand  near  it ; 
the  crowbar  had  to  be  thrown  aside,  and  the  men 


r ''Yil 


Bmm 


'atherwood 


KABAII 

Carved  /faun  of'  Sapott  Wood 


Void.  Page  405 


A TRYING  TIME. 


405 


cut  down  small  trees,  which  they  used  as  a sort  of 
battering-ram,  striking  at  the  mortar  and  small 
stones  used  for  filling  up,  on  loosening  which  the 
larger  stones  fell.  To  save  the  beams,  we  con- 
structed an  inclined  plane  two  or  three  feet  above 
them,  resting  against  the  inner  wall,  which  caught 
the  stones  and  carried  them  off.  As  the  breach  in- 
creased it  became  really  dangerous  to  work  under 
it,  and  one  of  the  men  refused  to  do  so  any  longer. 
The  beams  were  almost  within  my  grasp,  but  if  the 
ragged  mass  above  should  fall,  it  would  certainly 
bury  the  beams  and  the  men  too,  either  of  which 
would  be  disagreeable.  Fortunately,  we  had  the 
best  set  of  assistants  that  ever  came  out  to  us  from 
Nohcacab,  and  their  pride  was  enlisted  in  the  cause. 
At  length,  almost  against  hope,  having  broken  a 
rude  arch  almost  to  the  roof,  the  inner  beam  was 
got  out  uninjured.  Still  the  others  were  not  safe, 
but,  with  great  labour,  anxiety,  and  good  fortune,  the 
whole  three  at  length  lay  before  us,  with  their  sculp- 
tured faces  uppermost.  We  did  no  more  work  that 
day ; we  had  hardly  changed  our  positions,  but,  from 
the  excitement  and  anxiety,  it  was  one  of  the  most 
trying  times  we  had  in  the  country. 

The  next  day,  knowing  the  difficulty  and  risk 
that  must  attend  their  transportation,  we  had  the 
beams  set  up  for  Mr.  Catherwood  to  draw. 

The  plate  opposite  represents  this  lintel,  indica- 
ted in  the  engraving  as  three  pieces  of  wood,  but 
originally  consisting  of  only  two,  that  on  which  the 


406 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


figure  is  carved  being  split  through  the  middle  by 
some  unequal  pressure  of  the  great  superincumbent 
wall.  The  top  of  the  outer  part  was  worm-eaten 
and  decayed,  probably  from  the  trickling  of  water, 
which,  following  some  channel  in  the  ornaments, 
touched  only  this  part ; all  the  rest  was  sound  and 
solid. 

The  subject  is  a human  figure  standing  upon  a 
serpent.  The  face  was  scratched,  worn,  and  oblit- 
erated, the  headdress  was  a plume  of  feathers,  and 
the  general  character  of  the  figure  and  ornaments 
was  the  same  with  that  of  the  figures  found  on  the 
walls  at  Palenque.  It  was  the  first  subject  we  had 
discovered  bearing  such  a striking  resemblance  in 
details,  and  connecting  so  closely  together  the  build- 
ers of  these  distant  cities. 

But  the  great  interest  of  this  lintel  was  the  car- 
ving. The  beam  covered  with  hieroglyphics  at 
Uxmal  was  faded  and  worn.  This  was  still  in  ex- 
cellent preservation  ; the  lines  were  clear  and  dis- 
tinct ; and  the  cutting,  under  any  test,  and  without 
any  reference  to  the  people  by  whom  it  was  exe- 
cuted, would  be  considered  as  indicating  great  skill 
and  proficiency  in  the  art  of  carving  on  wood. 
The  consciousness  that  the  only  way  to  give  a true 
idea  of  the  character  of  this  carving  was  the  pro- 
duction of  the  beams  themselves,  determined  me  to 
spare  neither  labour  nor  expense  to  have  them  trans- 
ported to  this  city  ; and  when  we  had  finished  our 
whole  exploration,  we  were  satisfied  that  these  were 


FATE  OF  THE  LINTEL. 


407 


the  most  interesting  specimens  the  country  afforded. 
I had  the  sculptured  sides  packed  in  dry  grass  and 
covered  with  hemp  bagging,  and  intended  to  pass 
them  through  the  village  without  stopping,  but  the 
Indians  engaged  for  that  purpose  left  them  two  days 
on  the  ground  exposed  to  heavy  rain,  and  I was 
obliged  to  have  them  brought  to  the  convent,  where 
the  grass  was  taken  out  and  dried.  The  first  morn- 
ing one  or  two  hundred  Indians  at  work  at  the  »o- 
ria  came  up  in  a body  to  look  at  them.  It  was  sev- 
eral days  before  I could  get  them  away,  but,  to  my 
great  relief,  they  at  length  left  the  village  on  the 
shoulders  of  Indians,  and  I brought  them  with  me 
safely  to  this  city.  The  reader  anticipates  my  con- 
clusion, and  if  he  have  but  a shade  of  sympathy 
with  the  writer,  he  mourns  over  the  melancholy  fate 
that  overtook  them  but  a short  time  after  their  ar- 
rival. 

The  accidental  discovery  of  these  sculptured 
beams,  and  in  a position  where  we  had  no  reason 
to  look  for  such  things,  induced  us  to  be  more  care- 
ful than  ever  in  our  examination  of  every  part  of 
the  building.  The  lintel  over  the  corresponding 
doorway  on  the  other  side  of  the  staircase  was  still 
in  its  place,  and  in  good  condition,  but  perfectly 
plain,  and  there  was  no  other  sculptured  lintel 
among  all  the  ruins  of  Kabah.  Why  this  particu- 
lar doorway  was  so  distinguished  it  is  impossible  to 
say.  The  character  of  this  sculpture  added  to  the 
interest  and  wonder  of  all  that  was  connected  with 


408 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


the  exploration  of  these  American  ruins.  There  is 
no  account  of  the  existence  of  iron  or  steel  among 
the  aborigines  on  this  continent  The  general  and 
well-grounded  belief  is,  that  the  inhabitants  had  no 
knowledge  whatever  of  these  metals.  How,  then, 
could  they  carve  wood,  and  that  of  the  hardest  kind  1 
In  that  large  canoe  which  first  made  known  to 
Columbus  the  existence  of  this  great  continent, 
among  other  fabrics  of  the  country  from  which  they 
came,  the  Spaniards  remarked  hatchets  of  copper, 
as  it  is  expressed,  for  “ hewing  wood.”  Bernal  Dias, 
in  his  account  of  the  first  voyage  of  the  Spaniards 
along  the  coast  of  Guacaulco,  in  the  Empire  of  Mex- 
ico, says,  “ It  was  a Custom  of  the  Indians  of  this 
Province  invariably  to  carry  small  Hatchets  of  Cop- 
per, very  bright,  and  the  wooden  Handles  of  which 
were  highly  painted,  as  intended  both  for  Defence 
and  Ornament.  These  were  supposed  by  us  to  be 
Gold,  and  were,  of  Course,  eagerly  purchased,  inso- 
much that  within  three  days  ice  had  amongst  us  pro- 
cured above  six  hundred , and  were,  while  under  the 
Mistake,  as  well  pleased  with  our  Bargain  as  the 
Indians  with  their  green  Beads.”  And  in  that  col- 
lection of  interesting  relics  from  Peru  before  referred 
to,  in  the  possession  of  Mr.  Blake  of  Boston — the  ex- 
istence of  which,  by-the-way,  from  the  unobtrusive 
character  of  its  owner,  is  hardly  known  to  his  neigh- 
bours in  his  own  city — in  that  collection  are  several 
copper  knives,  one  of  which  is  alloyed  with  a small 
portion  of  tin,  and  sufficiently  hard  to  cut  wood. 


ORNAMENT  IN  STUCCO. 


409 


In  other  cemeteries  in  the  same  district,  Mr.  Blake 
found  several 
chisels,  whicl 
for  carving  wood.  In  my  opinion,  the  carving  of 
these  beams  was  done  with  the  copper  instruments 
known  to  have  existed  among  the  aboriginal  inhab- 
itants, and  it  is  not  necessary  to  suppose,  without 
and  even  against  all  evidence,  that  at  some  remote 
period  of  time  the  use  of  iron  and  steel  was  known 
on  this  continent,  and  that  the  knowledge  had  be- 
come lost  among  the  later  inhabitants. 

From  the  great  terrace  a large  structure  is  seen 
at  a distance  indistinctly  through  the  trees,  and, 
pointing  it  out  to  an  Indian,  I set  out  with  him  to 
examine  it.  Descending  among  the  trees,  we  soon 
lost  sight  of  it  entirely,  but,  pursuing  the  direction, 
the  Indian  cutting  a way  with  his  machete,  we 
came  upon  a building,  which,  however,  I discover- 
ed, was  not  the  one  we  were  in  search  of.  It  was 
about  ninety  feet  in  front,  the  walls  were  cracked, 
and  all  along  the  base  the  ground  was  strewed  with 
sculptured  stones,  the  carving  of  which  was  equal 
to  any  we  had  seen.  Before  reaching  the  door  I 
crawled  through  a fissure  in  the  wall  into  an  apart- 
ment, at  one  end  of  which,  in  the  arch,  I saw  an 
enormous  hornet’s  nest ; and  in  turning  to  take  a 
hasty  leave,  saw  at  the  opposite  end  a large  orna- 
ment in  stucco,  having  also  a hornet’s  nest  at- 
tached to  it,  painted,  the  colours  being  still  bright 
and  vivid,  and  surprising  me  as  much  as  the  sculp- 
Vol.  I. — F f f 35 


copper  instruments  resembling  modern 
i,  it  is  not  improbable,  were  designed 


410 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


tured  beams.  A great  part  had  fallen,  and  it  had 
the  appearance  of  having  been  wantonly  destroy- 
ed. The  engraving  below  represents  this  fragment. 


The  ornament,  when  entire,  appears  to  have  been 
intended  to  represent  two  large  eagles  facing  each 
other;  on  each  side  are  seen  drooping  plumes  of 
feathers.  The  opposite  end  of  the  arch,  where 
hung  the  hornet’s  nest,  had  marks  of  stucco  in  the 
same  form,  and  probably  once  contained  a corre- 
sponding ornament. 

Beyond  this  was  the  great  building  which  we  had 
set  out  to  find.  The  front  was  still  standing,  in 
some  places,  particularly  on  the  corner,  richly  orna- 
mented ; but  the  back  part  was  a heap  of  ruins.  In 
the  centre  was  a gigantic  staircase  leading  to  the 
top,  on  which  there  was  another  building  with  two 


. ' • ' •'  '''  • . !'■/ 

*5*2  / ?'cupr  41? 


4]  2 IK-UIttf  i-.  AVIi  L. 

immediately  to  4»\t$uv.*..i  lie  p*rtj>  mat  were  buried, 
and  carry  the  hv'  < av  but  it  was  a more  diffi- 
cult business  ti.  1 •:  ' »»f  getting  out  idle  beams.  A 

solid  <*•)*>  i a ■ d>-.  -idea  from  the  outside  to 

the  back  ».;-*#  - - J iKUtmeitf,  choking  the  door- 

A . ^ • 

• 

v'  boh:  ti-  - >»,  •.  w ! mu  of  the  question,  for  tli£  In- 
; ,i\  their  hands  .\ah  which  to  scoop  out 

the  accumulated  mass.  The  only  way  was  to  dig 
down  beside  each  stone.  then  separate  it  from  the 
wail  with  the  crowbar,  and  pry  it  out.  I was  enga- 
ged in  this  work  two  entire  »br,s.  ami  on  • 
ond  the  Indians  wanted  to  abandon  it.  They  bed 
ring  down  nearly  to'the  bottom,  and  one  man  in  tin* 
hole  refused  to  work  any  longer.  To  keep  them 
together  and  uot  Jose  another  day,  1 was  obliged  to 
labour  myself;  and  late  in  the  afternoon  wejgot  out 

l:i^  '•  •'  ;l  > 

mouwh  and  set  them  up  against  fhe  na*  * * a. 

;e:be»  opposite  rep  res.  ut  iin':»e  iw  . jamosas 
they  stood  faein-  each  other  in  ihe  doorway,  ‘Each 
consists  of  two  separate  ated  in  the 

' In  each  the  »o>;>  . - o 

five  echos  high,  and  the  Iom-tc  ooe  four  feet  six 
ini ...  mu;  otli  are  two  ie<  three  inches  wide. 

1 he  subject  consists  juf  two  igures,  one  standing, 
and  the  other  knee ~hg  befcr**  cm.  Both  have  un- 
natural and  grotesque  laces.  probably  containing 
some  symbolical  meaning*  The  headdress  is  a loUy 
plume  of  carders,  (idling  in  the  heejs  of  the  staud- 


♦ 


KAB  AH. 

Figure  on  jornb  of  Doorway. 


Yol.l.Paga  4-1Z. 


$ 


F.Catherwocd.  A.  Jones 


KABAH. 

Figure  on  jamb  erf  Doorway. 

Voll.Page  412. 
JVPl. 


ANOTHER  WITNESS  FOR  THESE  RUINS.  413 

ing  figure ; and  under  his  feet  is  a row  of  hiero- 
glyphics. 

While  toiling  to  bring  to  light  these  buried  stones, 
I little  thought  that  I was  raising  up  another  wit- 
ness to  speak  for  the  builders  of  these  ruined  cities. 
The  reader  will  notice  in  the  first  engraving  a weap- 
on in  the  hands  of  the  kneeling  figure.  In  that 
same  large  canoe  before  referred  to,  Herrera  says, 
the  Indians  had  “ Swords  made  of  Wood,  having  a 
Gutter  in  the  fore  Part,  in  which  were  sharp-edged 
Flints,  strongly  fixed  with  a sort  of  Bitumen  and 
Thread.”  The  same  weapon  is  described  in  every 
account  of  the  aboriginal  weapons ; it  is  seen  in 
every  museum  of  Indian  curiosities,  and  it  is  in  use 
at  this  day  among  the  Indians  of  the  South  Sea  Isl- 
ands. The  sword  borne  by  the  figure  represented 
in  the  engraving  is  precisely  of  the  kind  described 
by  Herrera.  I was  not  searching  for  testimony  to 
establish  any  opinion  or  theory.  There  was  inter- 
est enough  in  exploring  these  ruins  without  attempt- 
ing to  do  so,  and  this  witness  rose  unbidden. 

In  lifting:  these  stones  out  of  the  holes  and  set- 
ting  them  up  against  the  walls,  I had  been  obliged 
to  assist  myself,  and  almost  the  moment  it  was  fin- 
ished I found  that  the  fatigue  and  excitement  had 
been  too  much  for  me.  My  bones  ached ; a chili 
crept  over  me ; I looked  around  for  a soft  stone  to 
lie  down  upon ; but  the  place  was  cold  and  damp, 
and  rain  was  threatening.  I saddled  my  horse,  and 
when  I mounted  I could  barely  keep  my  seat.  I 


414 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


had  no  spurs ; my  horse  seemed  to  know  my  condi- 
tion, and  went  on  a slow  walk,  nibbling  at  every 
bush.  The  fever  came  on,  and  I was  obliged  to 
dismount  and  lie  down  under  a bush ; but  the  gar- 
rapatas  drove  me  away.  At  length  I reached  the 
village,  and  this  was  my  last  visit  to  Kabali ; but  I 
have  already  finished  a description  of  its  ruins. 
Doubtless  more  lie  buried  in  the  woods,  and  the 
next  visiter,  beginning  where  we  left  off,  if  he  be  at 
all  imbued  with  interest  in  this  subject,  will  push  his 
investigations  much  farther.  We  were  groping  in 
the  dark.  Since  the  hour  of  their  desolation  and 
wo  came  upon  them,  these  buildings  had  remained 
unknown.  Except  the  cura  Carillo,  who  first  in- 
formed us  of  them,  perhaps  no  white  man  had  wan- 
dered through  their  silent  chambers.  We  were  the 
first  to  throw  open  the  portals  of  their  grave,  and 
they  are  now  for  the  first  time  presented  to  the  pub- 
lic. 

But  I can  do  little  more  than  state  the  naked  fact 
of  their  existence.  The  cloud  which  hangs  over 
their  history  is  much  darker  than  that  resting  over 
the  ruins  of  Uxmal.  I can  only  say  of  them  that 
they  lie  on  the  common  lands  of  the  village  of  Noh- 
cacab.  Perhaps  they  have  been  known  to  the  In- 
dians from  time  immemorial ; but,  as  the  padrecito 
told  us,  until  the  opening  of  the  camino  real  to  Bo- 
lonchen  they  were  utterly  unknown  to  the  white 
inhabitants.  This  road  passed  through  the  ancient 
city,  and  discovered  the  great  buildings,  overgrown, 


RECENT  DISCOVERY  OF  KABAH.  415 

and  in  some  places  towering  above  the  tops  of  the 
trees.  The  discovery,  however,  created  not  the 
slightest  sensation  ; the  intelligence  of  it  had  never 
reached  the  capital ; and  though,  ever  since  the  dis- 
covery, the  great  edifices  were  visible  to  all  who  pass- 
ed along  the  road,  not  a white  man  in  the  village  had 
ever  turned  aside  to  look  at  them,  except  the  padre- 
cito,  who,  on  the  first  day  of  our  visit,  rode  in,  but 
without  dismounting,  in  order  to  make  a report  to 
us.  The  Indians  say  of  them,  as  of  all  the  other 
ruins,  that  they  are  the  works  of  the  antiguos  ; but 
the  traditionary  character  of  the  city  is  that  of  a 
great  place,  superior  to  the  other  Xlap-pahk  scatter- 
ed over  the  country,  coequal  and  coexistent  with 
Uxmal ; and  there  is  a tradition  of  a great  paved 
way,  made  of  pure  white  stone,  called  in  the  Maya 
language  Sacbe,  leading  from  Kabah  to  Uxmal,  on 
which  the  lords  of  those  places  sent  messengers  to 
and  fro,  bearing  letters  written  on  the  leaves  and 
bark  of  trees. 

At  the  time  of  my  attack,  Mr.  Catherwood,  Doc- 
tor Cabot,  and  Albino  were  all  down  with  fever.  I 
had  a recurrence  the  next  day,  but  on  the  third  I 
was  able  to  move  about.  The  spectacle  around  was 
gloomy  for  sick  men.  From  the  long  continuance 
of  the  rainy  season  our  rooms  in  the  convent  were 
damp,  and  corn  which  we  kept  in  one  corner  for 
the  horses  had  swelled  and  sprouted. 

Death  was  all  around  us.  Anciently  this  coun- 
try was  so  healthy  that  T orquemada  says,  “ Men  die 


t 


416 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL 


of  pure  old  age,  for  there  are  none  of  those  infirmi- 
ties that  exist  in  other  lands ; and  if  there  are  slight 
infirmities,  the  heat  destroys  them,  and  so  there  is 
no  need  of  a physician  there  but  the  times  are 
much  better  for  physicians  now,  and  Doctor  Cabot, 
if  he  had  been  able  to  attend  to  it,  might  have  en- 
tered into  an  extensive  gratuitous  practice.  Ad- 
joining the  front  of  the  church,  and  connecting 
with  the  convent,  was  a great  charnel-house,  along 


the  wall  of  which  was  a row  of  skulls.  At  the  top 
of  a pillar  forming  the  abutment  of  the  wall  of  the 


A GREAT  CHARNEL  HOUSE.  417 

staircase  was  a large  vase  piled  full,  and  the  cross  was 
surmounted  with  them.  Within  the  enclosure  was 
a promiscuous  assemblage  of  skulls  and  bones  sev- 
eral feet  deep.  Along  the  wall,  hanging  by  cords, 
were  the  bones  and  skulls  of  individuals  in  boxes 
and  baskets,  or  tied  up  in  cloths,  with  names  writ- 
ten upon  them,  and,  as  at  Ticul,  there  were  the  frag- 
ments of  dresses,  while  some  of  the  skulls  had  still 
adhering  to  them  the  long  black  hair  of  women. 

The  floor  of  the  church  was  interspersed  with 
long  patches  of  cement,  which  covered  graves,  and 
near  one  of  the  altars  was  a box  with  a glass  case, 
within  which  were  the  bones  of  a woman,  the  wife 
of  a lively  old  gentleman  whom  we  were  in  the 
habit  of  seeing  every  day.  They  were  clean  and 
bright  as  if  polished,  with  the  skull  and  cross-bones 
in  front,  the  legs  and  arms  laid  on  the  bottom,  and 
the  ribs  disposed  regularly  in  order,  one  above  the 
other,  as  in  life,  having  been  so  arranged  by  the 
husband  himself ; a strange  attention,  as  it  seemed, 
to  a deceased  wife.  At  the  side  of  the  case  was  a 
black  board,  containing  a poetical  inscription  (in 
Spanish)  written  by  him. 

“ Stop,  mortal ! 

Look  at  yourself  in  this  mirror, 

And  in  its  pale  reflection 
Behold  your  end ! 

This  eclipsed  crystal 

Had  splendour  and  brilliancy; 

But  the  dreadful  blow 

Of  a fatal  destiny 

Fell  upon  Manuela  Carillo. 

VOL.  I. G G G 


418 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


Born  in  Nohcacab  in  the  year  1789,  married  at  the  same  village  to 
Yictoriano  Machado  in  1808,  and  died  on  the  first  of  August,  1833, 
after  a union  of  25  years,  and  in  the  forty-fourth  of  her  age. 

He  implores  your  pious  prayers.” 

The  widowed  husband  wrote  several  stanzas 
more,  but  could  not  get  them  on  the  black  board ; 
and  made  copies  for  private  distribution,  one  of 
which  is  in  my  hands. 

Near  this  were  the  bones  of  a brother  of  our 
friend  the  cura  of  Ticul  and  those  of  a child,  and 
in  the  choir  of  the  church,  in  the  embrazure  of  a 
large  window,  were  rows  of  skulls,  all  labelled  on 
the  forehead,  and  containing  startling  inscriptions. 
I took  up  one,  and  staring  me  in  the  face  were  the 
words,  “ Soy  Pedro  Moreno  : un  Ave  Maria  y un 
Padre  nuestro  por  Dios,  hermano.”  “ I am  Peter 


Moreno  : an  Ave  Maria  and  Paternoster  for  God’s 
sake,  brother.”  Another  said,  “ I am  Apolono  Bal- 


ROWS  OF  HUMAN  SKULLS. 


419 


che : a Paternoster  and  an  Ave  Maria  for  God’s 
sake,  brother.”  This  was  an  old  schoolmaster  of 
the  padrecito,  who  had  died  but  two  years  before. 

The  padrecito  handed  me  another,  which  said, 
“ I am  Bartola  Arana  : a Paternoster,”  &c.  This 
was  the  skull  of  a Spanish  lady  whom  he  had 
known,  young  and  beautiful,  but  it  could  not  be  dis- 
tinguished from  that  of  the  oldest  and  ugliest  Indian 
woman.  “ I am  Anizetta  Bib,”  was  that  of  a pretty 
young  Indian  girl  whom  he  had  married,  and  who 
died  but  a year  afterward.  I took  them  all  up  one 
by  one ; the  padrecito  knew  them  all ; one  was 
young,  another  old  ; one  rich,  another  poor ; one 
ugly,  and  another  beautiful ; but  here  they  were  all 
alike.  Every  skull  bore  the  name  of  its  owner,  and 
all  begged  a prayer. 

One  said,  “ I am  Richard  Joseph  de  la  Merced 
Truxeque  and  Arana,  who  died  the  twenty-ninth 
of  April  of  the  year  1838,  and  I am  enjoying  the 
kingdom  of  God  forever.”  This  was  the  skull  of  a 
child,  which,  dying  without  sin,  had  ascended  to 
heaven,  and  needed  not  the  prayers  of  man. 

In  one  corner  was  a mourning  box,  painted  black, 
with  a white  border,  containing  the  skull  of  an  un- 
cle of  the  padrecito.  On  it  was  written  in  Span- 
ish, “In  this  box  is  enclosed  the  skull  of  Friar  Vi- 
cente Ortigon,  who  died  in  the  village  of  Cuhul  in 
the  year  1820.  I beseech  thee,  pious  and  charita- 
ble reader,  to  intercede  with  God  for  his  soul,  re- 
peating an  Ave  Maria  and  a Paternoster,  that  he 


420 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


may  be  released  from  purgatory,  if  he  should  be 
there,  and  may  go  to  enjoy  the  kingdom  of  heaven. 
Whoever  the  reader  may  be,  God  will  reward  his 
charity.  26th  of  July,  1837.”  The  writing  bore 
the  name  of  Juana  Hernandez,  the  mother  of  the 
deceased,  an  old  lady  then  living  in  the  house  of 
the  mother  of  the  padrecito. 

Accustomed  as  we  were  to  hold  sacred  the  bones 
of  the  dead,  the  slightest  memorial  of  a departed 
friend  accidentally  presented  to  view  bringing  with  it 
a shade  of  sadness,  such  an  exhibition  grated  harshly 
upon  the  feelings.  I asked  the  padrecito  why  these 
skulls  were  not  permitted  to  rest  in  peace,  and  he 
answered,  what  is  perhaps  but  too  true,  that  in  the 
grave  they  are  forgotten ; but  when  dug  up  and 
placed  in  sight  with  labels  on  them,  they  remind  the 
living  of  their  former  existence,  of  their  uncertain 
state — that  their  souls  may  be  in  purgatory — and 
appeal  to  their  friends,  as  with  voices  from  the  grave, 
to  pray  for  them,  and  have  masses  said  for  their 
souls.  It  is  for  this  reason,  and  not  from  any  feel- 
ing of  wantonness  or  disrespect,  that  the  skulls  of 
the  dead  are  thus  exposed  all  over  the  country.  On 
the  second  of  November,  at  the  celebration  of  the 
fete  in  commemoration  de  los  jieles  d Juntos , all 
these  skulls  are  brought  together  and  put  into  the 
tumulo,  a sort  of  bier  hung  with  black  and  lighted 
by  blessed  candles,  and  grand  mass  is  said  for  their 
souls. 

In  the  afternoon  the  padrecito  passed  our  door  in 


A FUNERAL  PROCESSION. 


421 


liis  robes,  and,  looking  in,  as  he  usually  did,  said, 
“Voyabuscarun  muerto,”  “I  am  going  for  a corpse.” 
The  platform  of  the  church  was  the  campo  santo ; 
every  day  the  grave-digger  was  at  his  work,  and 
soon  after  the  padrecito  left  us  we  heard  the  chant 
heralding  the  funeral  procession.  I went  out,  and 
saw  it  coming  up  the  steps,  the  padrecito  leading 
it  and  chanting  the  funeral  service.  The  corpse 
was  brought  into  the  church,  and,  the  service  over, 
it  was  borne  to  the  grave.  The  sacristans  were  so 
intoxicated  that  they  let  it  fall  in  with  its  neck 
twisted.  The  padrecito  sprinkled  it  with  holy  wra- 
ter,  and,  the  chant  over,  went  away.  The  Indians 
around  the  grave  looked  at  me  with  an  expression 
of  face  I could  not  understand.  They  had  told  the 
padrecito  that  we  had  brought  death  into  the  vil- 
lage. In  a spirit  of  conciliation  I smiled  at  a wom- 
an near  me,  and  she  answered  with  a laugh.  I 
carried  my  smile  slowly  around  the  whole  circle ; 
as  my  eyes  met  theirs,  all  burst  into  a laugh,  and 
while  the  body  lay  uncovered  and  distorted  in  the 
grave  I went  away.  With  these  people  death  is 
merely  one  of  the  accidents  of  life.  “Voyadescan- 
sar,”  “I  am  going  to  rest,”  “Mis  trabajos  son  acaba- 
dos,”  “ My  labours  are  ended,”  are  the  words  of  the 
Indian  as  he  lies  down  to  die  ; but  to  the  stranger 
in  that  country  death  is  the  king  of  terrors. 

In  the  mean  time  pleasure  was  treading  lightly 
upon  the  heels  of  death.  The  fiesta  of  Santo  Cris- 
to  del  Amor  was  still  going  on,  and  it  was  to  con- 

36 


422 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


elude  the  next  day  with  a baile  de  dia,  or  ball  by 
daylight,  at  the  place  where  it  began,  in  the  house 
of  the  patron.  We  were  busy  in  making  prepara- 
tions for  our  departure  from  Nohcacab,  and,  though 
strongly  solicited,  I was  the  only  one  of  our  party 
able  to  attend.  Early  in  the  morning  the  saint  was 
in  its  place  at  one  end  of  the  room,  the  altar  was 
adorned  with  fresh  flowers,  and  the  arbour  for  dan- 
cing was  covered  with  palm  leaves  to  protect  it 
from  the  sun.  Under  a shed  in  the  yard  was  a 
crowd  of  Indian  women  making  tortillas,  and  pre- 
paring dishes  of  various  kinds  for  a general  village 
feast.  At  twelve  o’clock  the  ball  began,  a little  be- 
fore two  the  padrecito  disappeared  from  my  side, 
and  soon  after  the  ball  broke  up,  and  all  moved  to- 
ward the  house.  When  I entered,  the  padrecito 
was  in  his  robes  before  the  image  of  the  saint,  sing- 
ing a salve.  The  Indian  sexton  was  perfuming  it 
with  incense,  and  the  dancers  were  all  on  their 
knees  before  it,  each  with  a lighted  candle  in  her 
hand.  This  over,  came  the  procession  de  las  velas, 
or  of  the  candles.  The  cross  led  the  way ; then 
the  figure  of  the  saint,  a drunken  Indian  sexton 
perfuming  it  with  incense.  The  padrecito,  in  ta- 
king his  place  behind  it,  took  my  arm  and  carried 
me  along ; the  patron  of  the  saint  supported  me  on 
the  other  side.  We  were  the  only  men  in  the  pro- 
cession. An  irregular  troop  of  women  followed,  all 
in  their  ball  dresses,  and  bearing  long  lighted  can- 
dles. Moving  on  to  the  church,  we  restored  the 


A STRANGE  PROCESSION. 


423 


saint  to  his  altar,  and  set  up  the  candles  in  rough 
wooden  tripods,  to  be  ready  for  grand  mass  the  next 
morning.  At  this  time  a discharge  of  rockets  was 
heard  without,  and  going  out,  I saw  another  strange 
procession.  We  had  all  the  women  ; this  was  com- 
posed entirely  of  men,  and  might  have  passed  for  a 
jubilee  over  the  downfall  of  temperance.  Nearly 
all  were  more  than  half  intoxicated ; and  I noticed 
that  some  who  had  kept  sober  during  the  whole  of 
the  fiesta  were  overtaken  at  last.  The  procession 
was  preceded  by  files  of  them  in  couples,  each  car- 
rying two  plates,  for  the  purpose  of  receiving  some 
of  the  dishes  provided  by  the  bounty  of  the  patron. 
Next  came,  borne  on  barrows  on  the  shoulders  of 
Indians,  two  long,  ugly  boxes,  the  emblems  of  the 
custody  and  property  of  the  saint,  one  of  them  being 
filled  with  wax  received  as  offerings,  ropes  for  the 
fireworks,  and  other  property  belonging  to  the  saint, 
which  were  about  being  carried  to  the  house  of  the 
person  now  entitled  to  their  custody ; and  the  other 
had  contained  these  things,  and  was  to  remain  with 
its  present  keeper  as  a sort  of  holy  heirloom.  Be- 
hind these,  also  on  the  shoulders  of  Indians,  were 
two  men,  sitting  side  by  side  in  large  arm-chairs, 
with  scarfs  around  their  necks,  and  holding  on  des- 
perately to  the  arms  of  the  chairs,  with  an  expres- 
sion of  face  that  seemed  to  indicate  a consciousness 
that  their  elevation  above  their  fellow-citizens  was 
precarious,  and  of  uncertain  duration,  for  their  In- 
dian carriers  were  reeling  and  staggering  under  their 


424 


INCIDENTS  OF  TRAVEL. 


load  and  agua  ardiente.  These  were  the  hermanos 
de  la  misa,  or  brothers  of  the  mass,  the  last  incum- 
bent of  the  office  of  the  keeper  of  the  box  and  his 
successor,  to  whom  it  was  to  be  delivered  over. 
Moving  on  with  uproarious  noise  and  confusion, 
they  were  set  down  under  the  corridor  of  the  quarteL 
In  the  mean  time  our  procession  of  women  from 
the  church  had  arrived,  the  musicians  took  their 
places  under  the  corridor,  and  preparations  were 
immediately  made  for  another  dance.  Cocom,  who 
had  acted  as  our  guide  to  Nohpat,  and  had  repaired 
the  locks  and  keys  of  our  boxes,  was  master  of  cer- 
emonies ; and  the  first  dance  over,  two  Mestiza 
girls  commenced  a song.  The  whole  village  seemed 
given  up  to  the  pleasure  of  the  moment ; there  were 
features  to  offend  the  sight  and  taste,  but  there  were 
pretty  women  prettily  dressed  ; in  all  there  was  an 
air  of  abandonment  and  freedom  from  care  that  en- 
listed sympathetic  feelings  ; and  as  the  padrecito 
and  myself  returned  to  the  convent,  the  chorus 
reached  us  on  the  steps,  soft  and  sweet  from  the 
blending  of  women’s  voices,  and  seeming  to  spring 
from  the  bottom  of  every  heart, 

“ Que  bonito  es  el  mundo ; 

Lastima  es  que  yo  me  muera.” 

“ How  beautiful  is  the  world  ; 

It  is  a pity  that  I must  die.” 


A P P E N D I X.  Y 0 L.  I. 


THERMOMETRICAL  OBSERVATIONS. 

Temperature  of  Merida,  according  to  observations  taken  by  the  cura 
Don  Eusebio  Yillamil,  for  one  year,  beginning  on  the  1st  of  September, 
1841,  and  ending  on  the  31st  of  August,  1842.  The  observations  were 
taken  with  a Fahrenheit  thermometer  at  six  in  the  morning,  midday,  and 
six  in  the  evening.  The  thermometer  stood  in  the  shade,  in  an  apartment 
well  ventilated. 


SEPTEMBER,  1842. 


Days. 

Morn. 

Noon. 

Even. 

i, 

80° 

84° 

84° 

2, 

80 

84 

83 

3, 

80 

84 

83 

4, 

80 

84 

82 

5, 

80 

84 

83 

6, 

81 

85 

84 

7, 

81 

84 

82 

8, 

81 

86 

85 

9, 

81 

85 

84 

10, 

82 

85 

85 

11, 

83 

85 

84 

12, 

82 

85 

84 

13, 

82 

85 

85 

14, 

82 

86 

85 

15, 

82 

86 

85 

16, 

83 

86 

85 

17, 

83 

85 

84 

18, 

83 

85 

84 

19, 

83 

85 

84 

20, 

84 

86 

85 

21, 

84 

86 

86 

22 

84 

86 

84 

23, 

84 

86 

86 

24, 

84 

85 

83 

25, 

80 

84 

83 

26, 

80 

85 

83 

27, 

81 

85 

83 

28, 

82 

85 

84 

29, 

82 

86 

86 

30, 

83 

86 

85 

OCTOBER. 

1, 

83° 

86° 

85° 

2, 

83 

86 

85 

3, 

83 

85 

83 

4, 

81 

84 

82 

5, 

81 

84 

83 

6, 

81 

84 

82 

I Days.  Morn.  Noon.  Even. 


7, 

81° 

84° 

82° 

8, 

81 

84 

82 

9, 

80 

84 

82 

10, 

80 

84 

83 

11, 

80 

85 

84 

12, 

82 

85 

84 

13, 

80 

84 

84 

14, 

80 

84 

84 

15, 

81 

84 

84 

16, 

81 

84 

83 

17, 

80 

83 

83 

18, 

81 

83 

83 

19, 

81 

84 

84 

20, 

82 

83 

81 

21, 

80 

81 

80 

22, 

78 

80 

78 

23, 

76 

78 

78 

24, 

76 

78 

78 

25, 

76 

76 

76 

26, 

74 

76 

76 

27, 

74 

78 

78 

28, 

76 

80 

79 

29, 

77 

81 

80 

30, 

78 

81 

81 

31, 

81 

82 

82 

NOVEMBER. 

1, 

82° 

83° 

82° 

2, 

80 

82 

81 

3, 

78 

80 

80 

4, 

80 

77 

77 

5, 

77 

78 

78 

6, 

74 

77 

76 

7, 

74 

76 

76 

8, 

75 

78 

78 

9, 

75 

78 

78 

10, 

74 

79 

79 

11, 

76 

79 

79 

12, 

77 

80 

80 

Days. 

Morn. 

Noon. 

Even. 

13, 

77° 

80° 

80° 

14, 

80 

80 

80 

15, 

78 

79 

79 

16, 

74 

78 

78 

17, 

74 

78 

78 

18, 

72 

77 

77 

19, 

73 

79 

79 

20, 

75 

79 

79 

21, 

78 

82 

82 

22, 

80 

83 

82 

23, 

80 

84 

83 

24, 

79 

82 

82 

25, 

80 

83 

83 

26, 

79 

82 

80 

27, 

79 

78 

78 

28, 

78 

76 

75 

29, 

73 

73 

74 

30, 

73 

74 

74 

DECEMBER. 

1, 

72° 

74° 

74° 

2, 

73 

77 

77 

3, 

73 

79 

79 

4, 

78 

79 

79 

5, 

75 

76 

75 

6, 

72 

74 

74 

7, 

72 

74 

74 

8, 

71 

74 

74 

9, 

70 

74 

74 

10, 

74 

78 

78 

11, 

76 

78 

78 

12, 

74 

77 

77 

13, 

74 

78 

77 

14, 

73 

78 

78 

15, 

75 

79 

79 

16, 

76 

78 

77 

17, 

75 

75 

75 

18, 

71 

74 

74 

19, 

65 

73 

75 

426 


APPENDIX 


Bays. 

Mom. 

Noon. 

Even. 

Bays. 

Mom. 

Noon. 

Even. 

Days. 

M^rn. 

Noon. 

20, 

68° 

74° 

74° 

10, 

71° 

76° 

76° 

3, 

77° 

83° 

21, 

70 

76 

76 

ii, 

74 

79 

78 

4, 

78 

84 

22, 

72 

88 

78 

12, 

74 

80 

79 

5, 

78 

84 

23, 

74 

78 

78 

13, 

76 

80 

79 

6, 

79 

86 

24, 

76 

77 

77 

14, 

77 

80 

79 

7, 

79 

84 

25, 

75 

77 

76 

15, 

77 

80 

80 

8, 

79 

84 

26, 

75 

78 

77 

16, 

78 

76 

76 

9, 

81 

85 

27, 

74 

79 

78 

17, 

72 

76 

76 

10, 

77 

84 

28, 

76 

79 

78 

18, 

75 

79 

79 

11, 

79 

85 

29, 

76 

78 

78 

19, 

76 

79 

78 

12, 

78 

85 

30, 

76 

77 

76 

20, 

77 

80 

80 

13, 

78 

84 

31, 

76 

78 

78 

21, 

78 

76 

75 

14, 

77 

84 

22, 

73 

74 

74 

15, 

79 

84 

23, 

70 

74 

72 

16, 

80 

85 

JANUARY,  imZ. 

24, 

69 

78 

76 

17, 

81 

84 

1, 

75° 

78° 

77° 

25, 

71 

77 

77 

18, 

80 

84 

2, 

75 

77 

77 

26, 

74 

78 

78 

19, 

79 

83 

3, 

76 

76 

76 

27, 

76 

81 

81 

20, 

78 

84 

4, 

74 

78 

77 

28, 

77 

81 

81 

21, 

78 

84 

5, 

74 

78 

78 

22, 

79 

83 

6, 

74 

78 

78 

23, 

77 

83 

7, 

74 

78 

78 

MARCH. 

24, 

78 

84 

8, 

74 

78 

77 

1, 

78° 

82° 

82° 

25, 

80 

85 

9, 

74 

77 

76 

2, 

78 

83 

82 

26, 

81 

86 

10, 

74 

77 

76 

3, 

78 

83 

82 

27, 

84 

83 

11, 

73 

78 

77 

4, 

78 

83 

82 

28, 

80 

83 

12, 

74 

78 

77 

5, 

78 

84 

84 

29, 

78 

84 

13, 

74 

77 

76 

6, 

78 

84 

84 

30, 

78 

83 

14, 

73 

78 

77 

7, 

78 

85 

84 

15, 

74 

77 

76 

8, 

78 

84 

82 

16 

74 

76 

76 

9, 

77 

82 

84 

may. 

17, 

73 

76 

75 

10, 

76 

84 

84 

84° 

18, 

73 

76 

75 

11, 

78 

84 

84 

1, 

i9° 

19, 

70 

76 

76 

12, 

78 

84 

83 

o’ 

81 

QO 

86 

20, 

73 

76 

76 

13, 

76 

84 

83 

3, 

A 

oZ 

QQ 

87 

21, 

72 

72 

72 

14, 

79 

84 

81 

4, 

C 

oo 

QO 

86 

22, 

70 

72 

72 

15, 

78 

84 

81 

5, 

o 

oZ 

QA 

84 

23, 

68 

72 

72 

16, 

78 

81 

80 

b, 

oU 

82 

24, 

68 

73 

72 

17, 

77 

82 

80 

7, 

7y 

81 

25, 

69 

74 

74 

18, 

76 

83 

82 

8, 

Q 

78 

•7Q 

81 

26, 

72 

78 

77 

19, 

76 

81 

81 

y, 

1 A 

7o 

81 

27, 

73 

76 

76 

20, 

76 

81 

80 

10, 

76 

83 

28, 

73 

76 

77 

21, 

75 

80 

80 

11, 
1 o 

7o 

84 

29, 

74 

78 

78 

22, 

76 

81 

80 

7o 

QA 

84 

30, 

74 

79 

79 

23, 

76 

82 

81 

16, 
1 A 

oU 

QA 

85 

31, 

1, 

2, 

3, 

4, 

5, 

74  80 

FEBRUARY. 

75°  78° 

74  80 

76  81 

76  80 

77  80 

80 

78° 

80 

81 

79 

79 

24, 

25, 

26, 

27, 

28, 

29, 

30, 

31, 

74 

76 

76 

76 

76 

76 

78 

78 

82 

82 

84 

80 

82 

82 

83 

83 

81 

81 

80 

75 

80 

82 

82 

82 

14, 

15, 

16, 

17, 

18, 

19, 

20, 
21, 
22, 

oU 

79 

79 

79 

79 

80 
81 
82 
82 

85 

85 

84 

85 

86 
86 
86 
86 
86 

6, 

76 

80 

80 

23, 

82 

86 

7, 

76 

80 

80 

APRIL. 

24, 

81 

86 

8, 

76 

74 

74 

1, 

78° 

83° 

80° 

25, 

82 

86 

o, 

73 

74 

74 

2, 

76 

80 

82 

26, 

82 

84 

Even. 

82° 

84 

84 

84 

84 

84 

84 

83 

84 
83 
83 
83 

83 

84 
84 
84 
82 
82 

83 
82 
82 

84 

85 
85 
82 
82 
84 
83 


84° 

86 

86 

83 

84 
82 
80 
80 
81 
81 
82 
83 
83 

83 

84 

84 

85 

86 
86 
85 
85 

85 

86 
86 
85 
82 


APPENDIX. 


427 


IT; 

Morn. 

82° 

Noon. 

83° 

Even. 

81° 

Days. 

28, 

28, 

80 

84 

80 

29, 

29, 

80 

83 

80 

30, 

30, 

80 

83 

81 

31, 

80 

84 

83 

JUNE. 

1, 

2, 

1, 

79° 

84° 

84° 

3, 

2, 

80 

86 

85 

4, 

3, 

81 

86 

85 

5, 

4, 

82 

86 

85 

6, 

5, 

83 

86 

86 

7, 

6, 

84 

87 

85 

8, 

7, 

82 

86 

85 

9, 

8, 

83 

87 

85 

10, 

9, 

83 

86 

85 

11, 

10, 

83 

86 

83 

12, 

11, 

81 

86 

85 

13, 

12, 

82 

86 

85 

14, 

13, 

84 

86 

86 

15, 

14, 

84 

87 

86 

16, 

15, 

85 

88 

88 

17, 

16, 

85 

88 

84 

18, 

17, 

84 

87 

86 

19, 

18, 

84 

88 

88 

20, 

19, 

84 

88 

88 

21, 

20, 

84 

88 

87 

22, 

21, 

84 

88 

87 

23, 

22, 

83 

88 

88 

24, 

23, 

82 

88 

86 

25, 

24, 

82 

89 

86 

26, 

25, 

83 

88 

86 

27, 

26, 

82 

88 

86 

28, 

27, 

82 

88 

86 

29, 

Even. 

Days. 

Morn. 

Noon. 

Even 

85° 

30, 

83° 

88° 

86° 

85 

31, 

83 

87 

86 

85 

1, 

AUGUST. 

83°  88° 

86c 

2, 

82 

87 

86 

84° 

3, 

84 

87 

86 

84 

4, 

84 

87 

86 

84 

5, 

83 

87 

86 

85 

6, 

82 

86 

85 

83 

7, 

82 

86 

86 

86 

8, 

82 

87 

86 

86 

9, 

83 

88 

86 

85 

10, 

83 

88 

87 

85 

11, 

84 

88 

82 

82 

12, 

82 

86 

86 

81 

13, 

83 

86 

86 

82 

14, 

82 

87 

85 

83 

15, 

83 

86 

83 

85 

16, 

82 

86 

83 

85 

17, 

81 

85 

84 

86 

18, 

81 

86 

85 

86 

19, 

80 

86 

84 

83 

20, 

82 

86 

86 

83 

21, 

82 

86 

86 

82 

22, 

82 

86 

84 

82 

23, 

81 

86 

86 

82 

24, 

82 

86 

86 

82 

25, 

83 

87 

86 

85 

26, 

84 

87 

86 

85 

27, 

82 

87 

86 

84 

28, 

80 

85 

85 

86 

29, 

80 

85 

85 

86 

30, 

81 

86 

86 

86 

31, 

82 

86 

86 

Morn.  Noon. 

82°  88° 

82  86 

82  88 

JULY. 

83°  86° 

83  86 

82  86 

82  86 

82  86 

81  86 

82  88 

82  86 

81  86 

81  84 

80  82 

78  82 

80  84 

79  86 

82  87 

82  86 

82  86 

81  85 

81  85 

81  85 

80  85 

80  85 

80  85 

81  86 

82  87 

81  86 

82  87 

83  87 

83  86 


TABLE  OF  STATISTICS  OF  YUCATAN. 


428 


APPENDIX, 


APPENDIX. 


429 


POPULATION  OF  YUCATAN. 

Statement  showing  the  number  of  inhabitants  in  the  five  departments  into 
which  the  state  is  divided,  distinguishing  the  sexes ; taken  from  the  cen- 
sus made  by  order  of  the  government  on  the  8th  of  April,  1841. 


Departments. 

Men. 

Women. 

Total. 

Merida  . . 
Izamal  . . 
Tekax  . . 
Valladolid  . 
Campeachy 

48,606 

32,915 

58,127 

45,353 

39,017 

58,663 

37,933 

64,697 

46,926 

40,639 

107,269 

70,848 

122,824 

92,279 

79,656 

472,876 

Note. — “This  census  is  probably  not  very  exact,  because,  having  con- 
tinually the  fear  of  new  contributions,  and  detesting  military  service,  every 
one  reduces  as  far  as  possible  the  number  of  his  family  in  the  lists  pre- 
pared for  the  census.  It  appears  to  me  that  the  total  population  of  Yu- 
catan may  be  fixed  at  525,000  souls.” — P.  De  R. 

“ The  best  information  I have  been  enabled  to  obtain  goes  to  show  that 
the  population  of  the  state  cannot  fall  short  of  600,000  souls.” — J.  B.  Jr. 


SYSTEM  ADOPTED  EY  THE  ANCIENT  BUILDERS  OF  YUCATAN  IN  COVERING  THEIR 
ROOMS  WITH  STONE  ROOFS. 

The  engraving  No.  1 represents  the  arch  referred  to  in  the  description  of 
theMonjas  at  Uxmal ; and  as  the  stones  are  not  quite  horizontal,  but  stand 
nearly  at  right  angles  to  the  line  of  the  arch,  it  shows  how  near  an  ap- 
proach was  made  to  the  real  principle  on  which  the  arch  is  constructed. 

Throughout  every  part  of  Central  America,  Chiapas,  and  Yucatan, 
the  same  method  is  to  be  traced  with  slight  modifications.  The  stones 
forming  the  side  walls  are  made  to  overlap  each  other  until  the  walls  al- 
most meet  above,  and  then  the  narrow  ceilings  are  covered  with  a layer  of 
flat  stones.  In  ever}'-  case  the  stones  were  laid  in  horizontal  layers,  the 
principle  of  constructing  arches,  as  understood  by  us,  being  unknown  to  the 
aboriginal  builders.  This  readily  accounts  for  the  extreme  narrowness  of 
all  their  rooms,  the  widest  not  exceeding  twenty  feet,  and  the  width  more 
frequently  being  only  from  six  to  ten  feet.  In  a few  cases  the  covering 
stone  is  wanting,  and  the  two  sides  meet  so  as  to  form  a sharp  angle.  At 
Palenque  the  builders  did  not  cut  the  edges  of  the  stones,  so  as  to  form  an 
even  surface,  their  practice  differing  in  this  respect  from  that  adopted  in 
Yucatan,  where  in  every  instance  the  sides  of  the  arch  are  made  perfectly 
straight,  or  have  a slight  curve,  with  the  inner  surfaces  smooth. 

It  may  now  be  interesting  to  inquire  if  any  similarity  exists  between  the 
American  method  and  those  observed  among  the  nations  of  antiquity  in 


430 


APPENDIX. 


No.  l. 


Europe  and  Asia.  A true  arch  is  formed  of  a series  of  wedge-like  stones 
or  of  bricks,  supporting  each  other,  and  all  bound  firmly  together  by  the 
pressure  of  the  centre  one  upon  them,  which  latter  is  therefore  distinguish- 
ed by  the  name  of  keystone. 

It  would  seem  that  the  arch,  as  thus  defined,  and  as  used  by  the  Romans, 
was  not  known  to  the  Greeks  in  the  early  periods  of  their  history,  other- 
wise a language  so  copious  as  theirs,  and  of  such  ready  application,  would 
not  have  wanted  a name  properly  Greek  by  which  to  distinguish  it.  The 


APPENDIX. 


431 


use  of  both  arches  and  vaults  appears,  however,  to  have  existed  in  Greece 
previous  to  the  Roman  conquest,  though  not  to  have  been  in  general 
practice.  And  the  former  made  use  of  a contrivance,  even  before  the  Tro- 
jan war,  by  which  they  were  enabled  to  gain  all  the  advantages  of  our 
archway  in  making  corridors  or  hollow  galleries,  and  which,  in  appear- 
ance, resembled  the  pointed  arch,  such  as  is  now  termed  Gothic.  This 
was  effected  by  cutting  away  the  superincumbent  stones  at  an  angle  of 
about  45°  with  the  horizon. 

Of  the  different  forms  and  curves  of  arches  now  in  use,  the  only  one 
adopted  by  the  Romans  was  the  semicircle  ; and  the  use  of  this  constitutes 
one  leading  distinction  between  Greek  and  Roman  architecture,  for  by  its 
application  the  Romans  were  enabled  to  execute  works  of  far  bolder  con- 
struction than  those  of  the  Greeks:  to  erect  bridges  and  aquaeducts,  and 
the  most  durable  and  massive  structures  of  brick.  On  the  antiquity  of 
the  arch  among  the  Egyptians,  Mr.  Wilkinson  has  the  following  remarks: 
“ There  is  reason  to  believe  that  some  of  the  chambers  in  the  pavilion  of 
Remeses  III.,  at  Medeenet  Haboo,  were  arched  with  stone,  since  the  de- 
vices on  the  upper  part  of  their  walls  show  that  the  fallen  roofs  had  this 
form.  At  Saggara,  a stone  arch  still  exists  of  the  time  of  the  second  Psa- 
maticus,  and,  consequently,  erected  six  hundred  years  before  our  era ; nor 
can  any  one,  who  sees  the  style  of  its  construction,  for  one  moment  doubt 
that  the  Egyptians  had  been  long  accustomed  to  the  erection  of  stone 
vaults.  It  is  highly  probable  that  the  small  quantity  of  wood  in  Egypt, 
and  the  consequent  expense  of  this  kind  of  roofing,  led  to  the  invention  of 
the  arch.  It  was  evidently  used  in  their  tombs  as  early  as  the  commence- 
ment of  the  eighteenth  dynasty,  or  about  the  year  1540  B.C. ; and,  judging 
from  some  of  the  drawings  at  Beni  Hassan,  it  seems  to  have  been  known 
in  the  time  of  the  first  Osirtasen,  whom  I suppose  to  have  been  contempo- 
rary with  Joseph.” — Manners  and  Customs  of  the  Anc.  Egyptians,  vol.  ii.,  p. 
116,  117,  1st  series. 

The  entrance  to  the  great  Pyramid  at  Gizeh  is  somewhat  similar  in  form 
to  the  arches  found  in  Yucatan;  it  consists  of  two  immense  granite  stones 
of  immense  size,  meeting  in  a point  and  forming  a sharp  angle. 


Of  the  accompanying  plates,  No.  2 represents  the  arches  in  the  walls  of  Ti- 
rrns,  copied  from  Sir  W.  Gell’s  Argolis;  No.  3,  an  arch  (called  Cyclo- 


432 


APPENDIX, 


APPENDIX. 


433 


pean)  at  Arpino,  in  the  Neapolitan  Territory;  No.  4,  the  most  common 


form  of  arch  used  by  the  ancient  American  builders.  A striking  resem- 
blance will  doubtless  be  observed,  indeed,  they  may  almost  be  considered 
identical;  and  it  may  be  added,  that  at  Medeenet  Haboo,  which  forms  a part 
of  the  ancient  Egyptian  Thebes,  a similar  contrivance  was  observed  by  Mr. 
Catherwood.  From  this  it  will  appear  that  the  true  principles  of  the  arch 
were  not  understood  by  the  ancient  Egyptians,  Greeks,  or  Etruscans,  or  by 
the  American  builders.  It  might  be  supposed  that  a coincidence  of  this 
strongly- marked  character  would  go  far  to  establish  an  ancient  connexion 
between  all  these  people ; but,  without  denying  that  such  may  have  been 
the  case,  the  probabilities  are  greatly  the  other  way. 

This  most  simple  mode  of  covering  over  a void  space  with  stone,  when 
single  blocks  of  sufficient  size  could  not  be  employed,  would  suggest  itself 
to  the  most  barbarous  as  well  as  to  the  most  refined  people.  Indeed,  in  a 
mound  lately  opened  in  the  Ohio  Valley,  two  circular  chambers  were  dis- 
covered, and  are  still  preserved,  the  walls  being  made  of  logs,  and  the  roofs 
formed  by  overlapping  stones  rising  to  a point,  on  precisely  the  same  plan  as 
the  Treasury  of  Atreus  at  Mycenae,  and  the  chamber  at  Orchomenus,  built 
by  Minyas,  king  of  Boeotia.  No  inference  as  to  common  origin  or  inter- 
national communication  can  with  safety  be  drawn  from  such  coincidences, 
or  from  any  supposed  coincidence  between  the  pyramidal  structures  of  this 
Continent  and  those  of  Egypt,  for  no  agreement  exists,  except  that  both  are 
called  pyramids.  * 

In  the  Egyptian  Pyramids  the  sides  are  of  equal  lengths,  and,  with  one 
exception  (Saccara),  composed  of  straight  lines,  which  is  not  the  case 

37 


434 


APPENDIX. 


with  any  pyramid  of  the  American  Continent.  The  sides  are  never  equal, 
are  frequently  composed  of  curves  and  straight  lines,  and  in  no  instance 
form  a sharp  apex. 


VESTIGIA  PIIALLICJE  RELIGIONIS  PROUT  Q.UIBUSDAM  MONUMENTIS  AMERICANIS 

indicantur. — ( Vid . torn.  i -,pag.  181.) 

Hec  monumenta  ex  undecim  Phallis  constant,  omnibus  plus  minusve 
fractis,  undique  dispersis,  atque  solo  semiobrutis,  duorum  circiter  vel  trium 
pedum  mensuram  habentibus.  Non  ea  nosmetipsi  reperimus  neque  illis 
hanc  Phallicam  naturam  attribuimus;  nobis  autem,  has  regiones  ante  per- 
errantibus,  heec  eadem  monumenta  Indi  ostenderunt,  quodam  nomine  ap- 
pellantes  lingua  ipsorum  eandem  vim  habente,  ac  supra  dedimus.  Q.ui- 
bus  auditis,  hsec  Phallicse  religionis,  his  etiam  in  terris,  vestigia  putanda 
esse  tunc  primum  judicavimus.  Monumenta  attamen  de  quibus  hue  us- 
que locuti  sumus,  non,  ut  bene  sciunt  eruditi,  libidinem  denotant,  sed  po- 
tius,  quod  memoria  dignissimum,  nostra  etiam  continente  vis  genitalis  cul- 
tum,  omnibus  psene  antiquis  Europae  Asiaeque  nationibus  communem,  per 
symbola  nota  olim  viguisse.  Gluam  autem  cognationem  hie  Phallorum 
cultus  his  populis  cum  Americse  aboriginibus  indicare  videatur,  non  nos- 
trum est,  qui  visa  tantum  vel  audita  litteris  mandamus,  his  paginis  ex- 
ponere. 


ANCIENT  CHRONOLOGY  OF  YUCATAN;  OR,  A TRUE  EXPOSITION  OF  THE  METHOD 
used  by  the  Indians  for  computing  time. — 'Translated  from,  the  Manu- 
script of  Don  Juan  Pio  Perez , Gcfe  Politico  of  Peto , Yucatan. 

1°.  Origin  of  the  Period  of  13  Days  (triadecateridas) . 

The  inhabitants  of  this  peninsula,  which,  at  the  time  of  the  arrival  of 
the  Spaniards,  was  called  Mayapan,  and  by  its  first  inhabitants  or  settlers 
Chacnouitan,  divided  time  by  calculating  it  almost  in  the  same  manner  as 
their  ancestors  the  Tulteques,  differing  only  in  the  particular  arrangement 
of  their  great  ages  (siglos). 

The  period  of  13  days,  resulting  from  their  first  chronological  combina- 
tions, afterward  became  their  sacred  number,  to  which,  introducing  it  in- 
geniously in  their  reckonings,  they  made  all  those  divisions  subordinate 
which  they  devised  to  adjust  their  calendar  to  the  solar  course ; so  that  the 
days,  years,  and  ages  were  counted  by  periods  of  thirteen  numbers. 

It  is  very  probable  that  the  Indians,  before  they  had  corrected  their  com- 
putation, used  the  lunations  (neomenias)  to  regulate  the  annual  course  of 
the  sun,  counting  (sehalando)  26  days  for  each  lunation ; which  is  a little 
more  or  less  than  the  time  during  which  the  moon  is  seen  above  the  hori- 
zon in  each  of  its  revolutions;  dividing  this  period  into  two  of  13  days, 
which  served  them  as  weeks,  giving  to  the  first  the  first  13  days  during 


APPENDIX. 


435 


which  the  new  moon  is  seen  till  it  is  full ; and  to  the  second,  the  other  thir- 
teen, during  which  the  moon  is  decreasing  until  it  cannot  be  seen  by  the 
naked  eye. 

In  the  lapse  of  time,  and  by  constant  observations,  they  obtained  a better 
knowledge  of  the  solar  course,  perceiving  that  the  26  days,  or  two  periods 
of  13  days,  did  not  give  a complete  lunation,  and  that  the  year  could  not  be 
regulated  exactly  by  lunations,  inasmuch  as  the  solar  revolutions  do  not 
coincide  with  those  of  the  moon,  except  at  long  intervals.  Adding  this 
knowledge  to  more  correct  principles  and  data,  they  finally  constructed 
their  calendar  in  accordance  with  the  course  of  the  principal  luminary, 
preserving  always  their  periods  of  13  days,  not  in  order  to  make  them  agree 
with  the  apparent  course  of  the  moon,  but  to  use  them  as  weeks,  and  for 
their  chronological  divisions. 

2°.  The  Weeks. 

It  must  not  be  supposed  that  the  weeks  of  the  ancient  Indians  were 
similar  to  ours,  that  is  to  say,  that  they  were  the  revolution  of  a period  of 
days,  each  having  a particular  name : they  were  only  the  revolution  or 
successive  repetition  of  thirteen  numbers  applied  in  arithmetical  progres- 
sion to  the  twenty  days  of  the  month.  The  year  being  composed  of  28 
weeks  and  one  additional  day  or  number,  the  course  of  the  years,  on  ac- 
count of  that  excess,  followed  the  arithmetical  progression  of  the  thirteen 
weekly  numbers  ; so  that  if  a year  commenced  with  the  number  1,  the  next 
would  commence  with  number  2,  and  so  on  to  the  close  of  the  13  years, 
which  formed  an  indiction,  or  week  of  years,  as  will  be  explained  hereafter. 

3°.  The  Month. 

“Month”  is  called  in  the  Yucateco  language  “U,”  which  means  also 
“ the  moon and  this  corroborates  the  presumption  that  the  Indians  went 
on  from  the  computation  of  lunations  to  determine  the  course  of  the  sun, 
calling  the  months  “moons.”  But  in  some  manuscripts,  the  name  of 
Uinal  in  the  singular  and  Uinalob  in  the  plural  is  given  to  the  eighteen 
months  which  compose  the  year;  applying  this  comprehensive  term  to  the 
series,  and  to  each  one  of  the  particular  names  assigned  to  the  twenty  days 
that  composed  the  month. 

The  day  was  called  Kin,  “ the  sun;”  and  the  particular  names  by  which 
the  20  days  composing  the  month  were  designated  are  stated  in  the  follow- 
ing table,  in  which  they  are  divided  into  sets  of  five,  for  the  better  under- 
standing of  the  subsequent  explanations. 


1st. 

2d. 

3d. 

4th. 

Kan. 

Muluc. 

Gix  (Hix). 

Ca-uac. 

Chicchan. 

Oc. 

Men. 

Ajau  (Ahaa). 

Q.uimi  (Cimi). 

Chuen. 

Q,uib  (Cib). 

Ymix. 

Manik. 

Eb. 

Caban. 

Yk. 

Lamat. 

Been. 

% 

Edznab. 

Akbal. 

436 


APPENDIX. 


As  those  names  corresponded  in  number  with  the  days  of  the  month,  it  fol- 
lowed that,  the  name  of  the  first  day  of  the  year  being  known,  the  names 
of  the  first  days  of  all  the  successive  months  were  equally  known ; and 
they  were  distinguished  from  each  other  only  by  adding  the  number  of  the 
week  to  which  they  respectively  belonged.  But  the  week  consisting  of 
thirteen  days,  the  month  necessarily  consisted  of  a week  and  seven  days ; 
so  that  if  the  month  began  with  the  first  number  of  a week,  it  ended  with 
the  seventh  number  of  the  week  ensuing. 

[In  order  to  know  the  number  of  the  week  corresponding  with  the  first 
day  of  each  month  respectively,  it  is  necessary  only  to  know  the  number 
of  the  week  with  which  the  year  begins,  and  to  add  successively  seven,  but 
subtracting  thirteen  whenever  the  sum  of  this  addition  exceeds  thirteen, 
which  gives  the  following  series  for  the  first  days  of  the  eighteen  months : 
1,  8,  2 (15-13),  9,  3 (16-13),  10,  4,  11,  5,  12,  6,  13,  7,  1,  8,  2,  9,  3,  supposing 
the  first  day  of  the  year  to  be  the  first  day  of  the  week,  and  generally  taking 
for  the  first  number  of  the  series  the  number  of  the  week  by  which  the  year 
begins.] 

4°.  The  Year. 

To  this  day  the  Indians  call  the  year  Jaab  or  Haab.  and,  while  heathens, 
they  commenced  it  on  the  16th  of  July.  It  is  worthy  of  notice  that  their 
progenitors,  having  sought  to  make  it  begin  from  the  precise  day  on  which 
the  sun  returns  to  the  zenith  of  this  peninsula  on  his  way  to  the  southern 
regions,  but  being  destitute  of  instruments  for  their  astronomical  observa- 
tions, and  guided  only  by  the  naked  eye,  erred  only  forty-eight  hours  in  ad- 
vance. That  small  difference  proves  that  they  endeavoured  to  determine, 
with  the  utmost  attainable  correctness,  the  day  on  which  the  luminary  passed 
the  most  culminating  point  of  our  sphere,  and  that  they  were  not  ignorant 
of  the  use  of  the  gnomon  in  the  most  tempestuous  days  of  the  rainy  season. 

They  divided  the  year  into  18  months,  as  follows : 

1st,  Pop,  beginning  on  the  16th  of  July. 

2d,  U6o,  beginning  on  the  5th  of  August. 

3d,  Zip,  beginning  on  the  25th  of  August. 

4th,  Zodz,  beginning  on  the  14th  of  September. 

5th,  Zeec,  beginning  on  the  4th  of  October. 

» 6th,  Xul,  beginning  on  the  24th  of  October. 

7th,  Dze-yaxkin,  beginning  on  the  13th  of  November. 

8th,  Mol,  beginning  on  the  3d  of  December. 

9th,  Dchen,  beginning  on  the  23d  of  December. 

10th,  Yaax,  beginning  on  the  12th  of  January. 

11th,  Zac,  beginning  on  the  1st  of  February. 

12th,  duej,  beginning  on  the  21st  of  February". 

13th,  Mac,  beginning  on  the  13th  of  March. 

14th,  Kankin,  beginning  on  the  2d  of  April. 


APPENDIX. 


437 


15th,  Moan,  beginning  on  the  22d  of  April. 

16th,  Pax,  beginning  on  the  12th  of  May. 

17th,  Kayab,  beginning  on  the  1st  of  June. 

18th,  Cumku,  beginning  on  the  21st  of  June. 

As  the  18  months  of  20  days  each  contained  but  360  days,  and  the  com- 
mon year  consists  of  365,  five  supplementary  days  were  added  at  the  end 
of  each  year,  which  made  part  of  no  month,  and  which,  for  that  reason, 

Neg.  Name.  Days. 

they  called  “ days  without  name,”  zona  kaba  kin.  They  called  them  also 

Year. 

uayab  or  uayeb  Jaab ; which  may  be  interpreted  two  different  ways.  The 
word  uayab  may  be  derived  from  uay,  which  means  “ bed”  or  “ chamber,” 
presuming  that  the  Indians  believed  the  year  to  rest  during  those  days;  or 
uayab  may  equally  be  derived  from  another  signification  of  uay,  viz.,  to  be 
destroyed,  wounded,  corroded  by  the  caustic  juice  of  plants,  or  with  ley 
and  other  strong  liquids.  And  on  this  account  the  Indians  feared  those 
days,  believing  them  to  be  unfortunate,  and  to  carry  danger  of  sudden 
deaths,  plagues,  and  other  misfortunes.  For  this  reason  these  five  days 
were  assigned  for  the  celebration  of  the  feast  of  the  god  Mam,  “ grandfa- 
ther.” On  the  first  day  they  carried  him  about,  and  feasted  him  with  great 
magnificence ; on  the  second  they  diminished  the  solemnity ; on  the  third 
they  brought  him  down  from  the  altar  and  placed  him  in  the  middle  of  the 
temple;  on  the  fourth  they  put  him  at  the  threshold  or  door;  and  on  the 
fifth,  or  last  day,  the  ceremony  of  taking  leave  (or  dismissal)  took  place,  that 
the  new  year  might  commence  on  the  following  day,  which  is  the  first  of 
the  month  Pop,  corresponding  with  the  16th  of  July,  as  appears  by  the  pre- 
ceding table.  The  description  of  the  god  Mam  may  be  seen  in  Cogolludo. 

The  division  of  the  year  into  18  months  of  20  days  would  have  given 
only  the  sum  of  360  days ; and  the  first  day  of  the  year  falling  on  Kan,  the 
last  would  have  fallen  on  Akbal,  so  as  to  begin  again  the  next  year  with 
the  same  Kan,  making  all  the  years  alike.  But  as,  in  order  to  complete 
the  year,  they  added  five  days,  the  result  was  that  the  year  which  com- 
menced in  Kan  ended  in  Lamat,  the  last  of  the  first  series  of  five  days ; the 
ensuing  year  commenced  in  Muluc,  the  first  of  the  second  series  of  five 
days;  the  third  commenced  in  Gix,  the  first  of  the  third  series;  and  the 
fourth  in  Cauac  (the  first  ending  in  Akbal),  the  last  of  the  fourth  series  of 
five  days;  so  that  the  fifth  year  again  began  with  Kan.  It  has  also  been 
stated  that  the  year  consisted  of  28  weeks  of  13  days  each,  and  of  one  ad- 
ditional day ; so  that,  if  the  year  commenced  with  the  number  one  of  the 
week,  it  ended  with  the  same  number,  and  the  ensuing  year  began  with 
number  two ; and  so  on  through  the  thirteen  numbers  of  the  week,  thus 
forming,  with  the  four  initial  days,  the  week  of  years,  or  indiction,  of  which 
we  shall  speak  hereafter. 

The  following  is  the  order  of  the  twenty  days  in  each  of  the  18  months 


438 


APPENDIX. 


composing  the  years  formed  by  the  four  initial  days,  together  with  the  inter- 
calary or  complementary  days. 


Year  beginning-  Year  beginning 

with  the  day  Kan.  with  the  day  Muluc. 

Year  of  Gix. 

Year  of  Cauac. 

Kan. 

Muluc. 

Gix. 

Cauac. 

Chicchan. 

Oc. 

Men. 

Ajau. 

Guimi. 

Chuen. 

Guib. 

Ymix. 

Manik. 

Eb. 

Caban. 

Yk. 

Lamat. 

Ben. 

Edznab. 

Akbal. 

Muluc. 

Gix. 

Cauac. 

Kan. 

Oc. 

Men. 

Ajau. 

Chicchan. 

Chuen. 

Guib. 

Ymix. 

Guimi. 

Eb. 

Caban. 

Yk. 

Manik. 

Ben. 

Edznab. 

Akbal. 

Lamat, 

Gix. 

Cauac. 

Kan. 

Muluc. 

Men. 

Ajau. 

Chicchan. 

Oc. 

Guib. 

Ymix. 

Guimi. 

Chuen. 

Caban. 

Yk. 

Manik. 

Eb. 

Edznab. 

Akbal. 

Lamat. 

Ben. 

Cauac. 

Kan. 

Muluc. 

Gix. 

Ajau. 

Chicchan. 

Oc. 

Men. 

Ymix. 

Guimi. 

Chuen. 

Guib. 

Yk. 

Manik. 

Eb. 

Caban. 

Akbal. 

Lamat. 

Ben. 

Edznab. 

Intercalary  days. 

Intercalary  days. 

Intercalary  days. 

Intercalary  days. 

Kan. 

Muluc. 

Gix. 

Cauac. 

Chicchan. 

Oc. 

Men. 

Ajau. 

Guimi. 

Chuen. 

Guib. 

Ymix. 

Manik. 

Eb. 

Caban. 

Yk. 

Lamat. 

Ben. 

Edznab. 

Akbal. 

5°.  The  Bissextile. 

The  connexion  between  the  days  or  numbers  of  the  week  which  desig- 
nate the  beginning  of  the  year,  and  the  four  initial  or  first  days  of  the  se- 
ries of  five,  is  so  intimate  that  it  is  very  difficult  to  intercalate  an  addi- 
tional day  for  the  bissextile,  without  disturbing  that  correlative  order  of  the 
initials  which  is  constantly  followed  in  the  denomination  of  the  years,  and 
forms  their  indictions,  or  weeks.  But  as  the  bissextile  is  necessary  to  com- 
plete the  solar  course,  and  as  I have  not  any  certain  knowledge  of  the 
manner  in  which  the  Indians  effected  that  addition,  I will  exhibit  the  meth- 
od adopted  by  the  Mexicans,  their  computation  being  very  analogous  to 
that  of  Yucatan,  which  in  its  origin  probably  emanated  from  Mexico. 

Yeyta  asserts,  in  ch.  x.  of  his  “ Historia  Antigua  de  Mexico,”  that  the 
bissextile  was  made  by  adding  at  the  end  either  of  the  18  months  or  of  the 
five  supplementary  days,  a day  which  was  marked  with  the  same  hiero- 


APPENDIX. 


439 


glyphic  as  the  one  preceding,  but  with  a different  number  of  the  week,  viz., 
with  the  succeeding  number.  But  in  each  way  that  numerical  order  by 
which  the  years  follow  each  other  till  they  form  the  week  of  years,  is  dis- 
turbed; since  the  fifth  year  would  thus  be  designated  by  the  number  6 in- 
stead of  5,  and  the  regular  order  of  the  years  4 to  6 be  thereby  interrupted. 
These  interruptions,  recurring  every  fourth  year,  would  render  it  impossi- 
ble to  preserve  that  continuous  harmony  (on  which  rests  the  whole  system 
of  the  Indian  computation)  between  the  numbers  of  the  week  which  desig- 
nate the  ending  year  and  its  successor,  as  shown  in  the  uniform  succession 
of  the  four  initial  days. 

In  order  to  prevent  that  inconvenience,  it  is  necessary  to  suppose  that  the 
Indians,  whether  they  intercalated  the  additional  day  at  the  end  of  the  18 
months  or  after  the  five  supplementary  days,  did  not  only  give  to  it  the 
same  number  and  hieroglyphic  as  to  the  day  immediately  preceding,  but  also 
designated  it  by  some  peculiar  sign  or  number,  in  order  that  it  might  not  be 
confounded  with  any  other. 

In  a treatise  published  by  Akerman,  the  opinion  is  expressed  that  the  In- 
dians, at  the  end  of  their  cycle  of  52  years,  added  a week  of  days  in  lieu  of 
the  bissextile  days  which  had  been  neglected.  This  method  has  not  the 
defect  of  disturbing  the  numerical  order  of  the  years,  but  that  of  deranging 
the  series  of  the  four  initial  days,  which,  as  has  been  stated,  gives  designa- 
tion to  the  years.  It  will  be  seen  by  the  table  of  indictions,  that  each  cycle 
consists  of  four  complete  weeks  of  years,  formed  by  series  of  each  one  of 
the  four  initial  signs,  each  week  of  years  commencing  with  number  one  and 
ending  with  number  thirteen ; consequently,  if,  at  the  end  of  each  cycle,  a 
week  of  days  be  added,  the  first  day  of  the  ensuing  year  would  be  the  14th 
in  the  series  of  the  20  days  of  the  month  (instead  of  being  the  1st,  6th,  11th, 
or  16th),  thus  abandoning  the  regular  series  of  the  four  initial  days,  and 
substituting  others,  changing  them  again  at  each  new  cycle. 

6°.  Katun,  or  Cycle. 

The  Indians  made  (painted)  a small  wheel,  in  which  they  placed  the 
four  hieroglyphics  of  the  initial  days,  Kan  in  the  east,  Muluc  in  the  north, 
Gix  in  the  west,  and  Cauac  in  the  south,  to  be  counted  in  that  order.  Some 
suppose  that  when  the  fourth  year  was  accomplished,  and  Kan  was  again 
in  order,  a Katun,  or  lustre  of  four  years,  was  completed;  others,  that  three 
revolutions  of  the  wheel,  with  its  four  signs,  were  reckoned,  with  one  (sign) 
more,  which  made  13  years,  and  that  this  completed  the  Katun;  others, 
again,  that  the  four  complete  weeks  of  years,  or  indictions,  constituted  the 
Katun;  and  this  is  probable.  Besides  the  small  wheel  aforesaid,  they 
made  another  great  wheel,  which  they  also  called  buk  xoc , and  in  which 
they  placed  three  revolutions  of  the  four  signs  of  the  small  wheel,  making 
12  signs ; beginning  to  count  by  the  first  Kan,  and  continuing  to  reckon  all 
until  the  fourth  naming  of  the  same  Kan,  which  was  included,  thus  making 


440 


APPENDIX. 


thirteen  years,  and  forming  one  indiction,  or  week  (of  years);  the  second 
reckoning  began  with  Muluc,  ending  in  the  same,  which  formed  the  next 
thirteen ; and  so  on,  till  they  came  to  Cauac,  which  formed  a Katun. 

7°.  Of  the  Indiction  and  Cycle  of  52  Years,  or  Katun. 

As  in  the  preceding  explanations  sufficient  idea  has  been  given  of  what 
constituted  the  indiction  and  the  cycle  of  52  years,  called  by  the  Indians 
Katun,  the  facts  are  briefly  recapitulated  here,  that  the  reader  may  not  be 
fatigued  hereafter  with  new  explanations. 

1st.  The  name  of  indiction  is  given  to  each  one  of  the  four  weeks  of 
years  composing  the  cycle  of  52  years. 

2d.  The  American  week  was  formed  by  the  course  of  13  numbers,  ap- 
plied indiscriminately  to  the  20  days  of  the  month. 

3d.  It  has  been  explained,  that  as  the  year  was  formed  of  28  weeks  and 
one  day,  by  this  overplus  the  years  succeeded  each  other,  following  the 
correlative  order  of  their  numbers  up  to  13,  in  order  to  form  a week,  or  in- 
diction ; for  if  the  year  had  been  composed  of  exactly  28  weeks,  the  nuiii- 
bers  of  the  new  years  would  never  have  formed  a correlative  week,  because 
they  would  have  commenced  with  the  number  1,  and  finished  with  13;  by 
the  other  method,  one  year  begins  with  the  first,  and  terminates  in  the 
same ; the  second  year  commences  with  the  number  2,  and  also  finishes 
with  it;  and  so  on  successively,  until  the  13  are  completed. 

4th.  It  has  also  been  explained  that  the  Indians,  seeing  that  18  months 
of  20  days  did  not  make  up  the  sum  of  365,  in  order  to  complete  them 
added  five  days  more ; resulting  from  this,  the  20  days  were  divided  into 
four  portions,  and  the  first  of  each  of  these,  being  Kan,  Muluc,  Gix,  and 
Cauac , became  initials,  forming  in  turn  the  beginning  of  the  years  by 
courses  of  four  years,  every  fifth  year  commencing  again  with  Kan.  But 
as  the  weeks  were  composed  of  13  numbers,  there  were  in  each  week  three 
revolutions  of  the  four  initials  and  one  initial  more,  by  this  excess  of  one 
causing  each  initial  to  have  its  own  week : thus  the  indiction,  or  week, 
which  began  with  Kan  concluded  also  with  the  same  Kan;  so  that  the 
next  indiction  might  commence  with  Muluc,  the  second  initial,  and  in  its 
turn  conclude  with  the  same  Muluc ; and  so  on  continually,  until  each  one 
of  the  initials  had  formed  its  own  indiction,  or  week,  and  given  to  it  its  name, 
the  whole  composing  52  years,  which  is  the  sum  of  the  four  weeks  of  13 
years  each,  as  may  be  seen  in  the  following  table. 


APPENDIX. 


441 


Order  of  the  years  in  the  cycle  of  52,  divided  into  four  indictions,  or  •weeks  of 
years ; and  as  the  year  1841  happens  to  be  the  first  of  one  of  these  cycles,  it  is 
taken  as  the  starting-point. 


1st  Indiction. 

2d  Indiction. 

3d  Indiction. 

4th  Indiction. 

1841,  1.  Kan. 

1854,  1.  Muluc. 

1867,  1.  Gix. 

1880,  1.  Cauac. 

1842,  2.  Muluc. 

1855,  2.  Gix. 

1868,  2.  Cauac. 

1881,  2.  Kan. 

&c.  3.  Gix. 

&c.  3.  Cauac. 

&c.  3.  Kan. 

&c.  3.  Muluc. 

4.  Cauac. 

4.  Kan. 

4.  Muluc. 

4.  Gix. 

5.  Kan. 

5.  Muluc. 

5.  Gix. 

5.  Cauac. 

6.  Muluc. 

6.  Gix. 

6.  Cauac. 

6.  Kan. 

7.  Gix. 

7.  Cauac. 

7.  Kan. 

7.  Muluc. 

8.  Cauac. 

8.  Kan. 

8.  Muluc. 

8.  Gix. 

9.  Kan. 

9.  Muluc. 

9.  Gix. 

9.  Cauac. 

10.  Muluc. 

10.  Gix. 

10.  Cauac. 

10.  Kan. 

11.  Gix. 

11.  Cauac. 

11.  Kan. 

11.  Muluc. 

12.  Cauac. 

12.  Kan. 

12.  Muluc. 

12.  Gix. 

13.  Kan. 

13.  Muluc. 

13.  Gix. 

1892,  13.  Cauac. 

This  period  of  52  years  was  called  by  the  Indians  Katun,  and  at  its  con- 
clusion great  feasts  were  celebrated,  and  a monument  was  raised,  on  which 
a large  stone  was  placed  crosswise,  as  is  signified  by  the  word  Kat-tun,  for 
a memento  and  record  of  the  cycles,  or  Katunes,  that  had  elapsed.  It  should 
be  observed,  that  until  the  completion  of  this  period,  the  initial  days  of  the 
years  did  not  again  fall  upon  the  same  numbers  of  the  week ; for  which 
reason,  by  merely  citing  them,  it  was  at  once  known  what  year  of  that 
cycle  was  arrived  at;  being  aided  in  this  by  the  wheel  or  table  on  which 
the  years  were  engraved  in  hieroglyphics. 

8°.  Of  the  great  Cycle  of  312  Years,  or  Ajau  Katunes. 

Besides  the  cycle  of  52  years,  or  Katun,  there  was  another  great  cycle  pe- 
culiar to  the  Y ucatecos,  who  referred  to  its  periods  for  dating  their  princi- 
pal epochs  and  the  most  notable  events  of  their  history.  It  contained  13 
periods  of  24  years  each,  making  together  312  years.  Each  period,  or 
Ajau  Katun , was  divided  into  two  parts ; the  first  of  20  years,  which  was 
included  in  a square,  and  therefore  called  amaytun,  lamayte,  or  lamaytun ; 
and  the  other  of  four  years,  which  formed,  as  it  were,  a pedestal  for  the 
first,  and  was  called  chek  oc  Katun,  or  lath  oc  Katun,  which  means  i:  stool” 
or  “ pedestal”  They  considered  those  four  years  as  intercalated ; there- 
fore believed  them  to  be  unfortunate,  and  called  them  u yail  Jaab,  as  they 
did  the  five  supplementary  days  of  the  year,  to  which  they  likened  them. 

From  this  separation  of  the  first  20  years  from  the  last  four,  arose  the  er- 
roneous belief  that  the  Ajaus  consisted  only  of  20  years,  an  error  into  which 
almost  all  have  fallen  who  have  written  on  the  subject;  but  if  they  had 
counted  the  years  which  compose  a period,  and  noted  the  positive  declara- 
tions of  the  manuscripts  that  the  Ajaues  consisted  of  24  years  divided  as 
above  stated,  the}'  would  not  have  misled  their  readers  on  this  point. 

It  is  incontrovertible  that  those  periods,  epochs,  or  ages,  took  the  name 


442 


APPENDIX. 


of  Ajau  Katun,  because  they  began  to  be  counted  from  the  day  Ajau,  which 
was  the  second  day  of  those  years  that  began  in  Cauac ; but  as  these  days 
and  numbers  were  taken  from  years  which  had  run  their  course,  the  peri- 
ods of  24  years  could  never  have  an  arithmetical  order,  but  succeeded  each 
other  according  to  the  numbers  13,  11,  9,  7,  5,  3,  1,  12,  10,  8,  6,  4,  2.  As 
the  Indians  established  the  number  13  as  the  first,  it  is  probable  that  some 
remarkable  event  had  happened  in  that  year,  because,  when  the  Spaniards 
came  to  this  peninsula,  the  Indians  reckoned  then  the  8th  as  the  1st,  that 
being  the  date  at  which  their  ancestors  came  to  settle  it;  and  an  Indian 
writer  proposed  that  they  should  abandon  that  order  also,  and  begin  count- 
ing from  the  11th,  solely  because  the  conquest  had  happened  in  that.  Now 
if  the  13  Ajau  Katun  began  on  a second  day  of  the  year,  it  must  be  that 
year  which  began  on  12  Cauac,  and  the  12th  of  the  indiction.  The  11  Ajau 
would  commence  in  the  year  of  10  Cauac,  which  happens  after  a period  of 
24  years,  and  so  on  with  the  rest ; taking  notice  that  after  that  lapse  of 
years  we  come  to  the  respective  number  marked  in  the  course  of  the  Ajaues, 
which  is  placed  first ; proving  that  they  consist  of  24,  and  not,  as  some 
have  believed,  of  20  years. 


Series  of  the  years  completed,  in  two  Ajau  Katunes,  having  their  beginning  in 
the  year  of  our  Lord  1488,  in  which  the  13 th  Ajau  commences  on  the  2d  day 
of  the  year  12  Cauac,  being  the  12  th  of  the  first  indiction. 


A.D. 

13th  Ajau. 

1 A.n. 

13th  Ajau. 

A.D. 

nth  Aj  >u. 

A D.  | 1 1th  Ajau. 

1488 

12. 

Cauac 

1500 

11.  Cauac 

r 

1512 

10. 

Cauac 

C 

1524 1 9.  Cauac 

r 

1489 

13. 

Kan 

1501 

12.  Kan 

p 

1513 

n. 

Kan 

1525  10.  Kan 

P 

1490 

1. 

Muluc 

1502 

13.  Muluc 

3 

1514 

12. 

Muluc 

1526  11.  Muluc 

2 

1491 

2. 

Gix 

EJ 

1503 

1.  Gix 

P 

1515 

13. 

Gix 

1527  12.  Gix 

p 

1492 

3. 

Cauac 

1504 

2.  Cauac 

1516 

1. 

Cauac 

1528  13.  Cauac 

*< 

1493 

4. 

Kan 

P 

1505 

3.  Kan 

1517 

2. 

Kan 

P 

1529  1.  K an 

1494 

5. 

Muluc 

1506 

4.  Muluc 

1518 

3. 

Muluc 

1530  2.  Muluc 

1495 

6. 

Gix 

1507 

5.  Gix 

1519 

4. 

Gix 

15311  3.  Gix 

1490 

7. 

Cauac 

<*• 

1508 

6.  Cauac 

1520 

5. 

Cauac 

1532  4.  Cauac 

1497 

8. 

Kan 

1509 

7.  Kan 

1521 

6. 

Kan. 

1533  5.  Kan 

1498 

9. 

Muluc 

1510 

8.  Muluc 

r 9 

1522 

7. 

Muluc 

1534  6.  Muluc 

c w 

1499  10. 

Gix 

3 

1511 

9.  Gix 

° 

1523 

8. 

Gix 

3 

1535  7.  Gix 

The  fundamental  point  of  departure  from  which  to  adjust  the  Ajaus  with 
the  years  of  the  Christian  era,  to  count  the  periods  or  cycles  which  have 
elapsed,  and  to  make  the  years  quoted  by  the  Indians  in  their  histories 
agree  with  the  same  era,  is  the  year  of  our  Lord  1392,  which,  according  to 
all  sources  of  information,  confirmed  by  the  testimony  of  Don  Cosme  de 
Burgos,  one  of  the  conquerors,  and  a writer  (but  whose  observations  have 
been  lost),  was  the  year  in  which  fell  the  7 Cauac,  givingin  its  second  day 
the  commencement  of  8 Ajau;  and  from  this,  as  from  a root,  all  that  pre- 
ceded and  have  followed  it  are  adjusted  according  to  the  table  of  them 
which  has  been  given;  and  as  this  agrees  with  all  the  series  that  have  been 
found,  it  is  highly  probable  that  it  is  the  correct  one.  , 

“At  the  end  of  each  Ajau  Katun,  or  period  of 24  years,”  says  a manu- 


APPENDIX. 


443 


script,  “great  feasts  were  celebrated  in  honour  of  the  god  thereof,  and  a 
statue  of  the  god  was  put  up,  with  letters  and  inscriptions.”  It  must  be 
supposed  that  these  were  expressed  by  means  of  signs  or  hieroglyphics. 

The  use  of  this  cycle  was  of  very  great  advantage  and  importance,  be- 
cause when,  for  example,  the  8th  Ajau  was  referred  to  in  their  histories  in 
describing  some  event  which  it  was  necessary  to  distinguish  from  others, 
the  8th  Ajau  was  established  as  a distinct  date,  and  it  was  understood  that 
the  312  years  had  elapsed,  which  made  up  the  whole  Katun,  in  order  to  re- 
turn to  the  same  number;  this  was  more  clear,  if  the  writer  explained  that 
a uudz  Katun  had  elapsed,  which  is  the  sum  total  of  the  thirteen  Katunes, 
or  the  great  cycle.  They  had  various  modes  of  quoting  the  Ajaues,  as  by 
saying  generally  the  beginning,  middle,  or  end  of  such  an  Ajau’  or  by 
mentioning  the  years  of  the  Katun  which  had  elapsed,  without  stating  the 
month  or  day  of  the  year,  or  by  specifying  all  the  particulars  of  the  epoch, 
the  year,  month,  and  day.  Such  is  the  passage  in  which  is  noticed  the 
death  of  a certain,  without  doubt  very  notable,  Ajjnda.  It  is  said  that  he 
died  in  the  6th  year  of  13  Ajau,  when  the  first  day  of  the  year  was  4 Kan 
at  the  east  end  of  the  wheel,  in  the  day  of  9 Ymix,  18th  of  the  month  Zip. 
This  date  bring  so  circumstantial,  we  will  trace  it  out,  that  it  may  serve  as 
an  example. 

Looking  at  the  series  of  years  which  belong  to  the  13  Ajau,  and  which 
we  have  given  above,  it  will  be  seen  that  12  Cauac  falls  in  the  year  1488, 
the  second  day  of  that  year  being,  therefore,  the  beginning  of  the  13th 
Ajau;  that  the  year  1493  is  the  sixth  from  the  beginning  of  the  said  Ajau, 
and  that  its  first  day  is  designated  as  4 Kan,  which  is  the  title  of  that  yearl 
“18th  o i the  month  Zip.”  As  this  month  begins  on  the  25th  of  August’ 
the  18th  corresponds  with  the  11th  of  September.  Let  us  see  now  whether 
this  18th  day  falls  on  9 Ymix.  The  first  month  of  that  year  commenced 
with  4 Kan,  since  4 Kan  designates  that  year  (see  the  rule  given  in  treat- 
ing of  the  months).  We  find  the  numbers  (of  the  week)  annexed  to  the  first 
days  of  the  following  months  by  successively  adding  7 to  each  month,  &c. 
(or,  which  is  the  same  thing,  by  the  rule  buk  xoc).  The  number  of  the  1st 
day  of  the  1st  month  being  in  this  case  4,  the  number  of  the  1st  day  of  the 
2d  month  will  be  4+7=11,  and  that  of  the  1st  day  of  the  3d  month,  viz.,  of 
Zip,  will  be  1 1 +7—13=5.  That  month  begins,  therefore,  in  that  year,  with 
5 Kan,  and  the  following  days  are, 


Day 

Aug. 

of 

Zip. 

D» 

s of  the  Week. 

25 

l 

5. 

Kan. 

26 

2 

6. 

Chicchan. 

27 

3 

7. 

Q.uimf. 

28 

4 

8. 

Manik. 

29 

5 

9. 

Lamac. 

30 

6 

10. 

Muluc. 

31 

7 

11. 

Oc. 

L)u\ 

Sept'. 

of 

Zip. 

□ays 

of  the  Week 

l 

8 

12. 

Chuen. 

2 

9 

13. 

Eb. 

3 

10 

1. 

Ben. 

4 

11 

2. 

Gix. 

5 

12 

3. 

Men. 

6 

13 

4. 

Q.uin. 

7 

14 

5. 

Caban. 

Day 

Sept. 

of 

Zip. 

Days  of  the  Week. 

8 

9 

10 

11 

15 

16 

17 

18 

6.  Edznab. 

7.  Cauac. 

8.  Ajau. 

9.  Ymix. 

444 


APPENDIX. 


Thus  the  11th  of  September  was  the  18th  of  Zip,  which  does  fall  on  9 
Ymix,  and  accords  with  the  date  given  in  the  MS.  This  date  appears, 
therefore,  to  have  been  very  correct. 

Of  the  Origin  of  this  Cycle . 

The  origin  and  use  of  this  species  of  age,  epoch,  or  cycle,  and  (the  time) 
when  it  commenced,  are  not  known.  Neither  the  Mexican  nor  Toltecan 
authors,  nor  those  who  corrected  the  chronological  system  for  the  computa- 
tion of  time,  ever  used  it,  nor  had  their  writers  any  knowledge  of  its  exist- 
ence. The  few  and  incomplete  manuscripts  which  exist  in  this  peninsula 
make  no  mention  of  it;  so  that  there  is  neither  record  nor  even  conjecture 
to  guide  us,  unless  there  be  something  on  the  subject  in  the  work  written 
by  Don  Cristobal  Antonio  Xiu,  son  of  the  King  of  Mani,  by  order  of  the 
then  government,  which,  according  to  the  padre  Cogolludo,  existed  in  his 
time,  and  some  allege  to  be  even  yet  extant. 

It  appears  only  that  the  Chevalier  Boturini  had  some  knowledge,  though 
imperfect,  of  that  mode  of  reckoning  time;  inasmuch  as  Don  Mariano 
Veytia,  in  the  second  chapter  of  his  “ Historia  Antigua  de  Mexico,”  tran- 
scribes literally  the  explanation  which  Boturini  gives  at  page  122  of  the 
work  which  he  published  under  the  title  of  “ Idea  of  a New  History  of 
North  America,”  and  says,  “ that  the  Mexican  Indians,  when  they  reckon- 
ed in  their  calendar  the  first  sign  of  their  indiction  under  number  1,  as,  for 
instance,  Ce  Tecpatl  (1  Tecpatl),  it  was  understood  that  it  was  (so  placed) 
only  one  time  in  every  four  cycles,  because  they  spoke  then  of  the  initial 
characters  of  each  cycle;  and  thus,  according  to  the  contrivance  of  their 
i 

painted  wheels,  Ce  Tecpatl  was  but  once  the  commencement  of  the  four 
cycles”  [meaning — began  a cycle  but  once  in  four  cycles.  But  the  fact 
is  not  so:  both  in  the  Mexican  and  the  Yucatec  calendar,  every  cycle  of  52 
years  begins  with  the  same  initial  character  of  the  year] ; “ for  which  rea- 
son, any  character  of  those  initial  signs  placed  in  their  history  means  that 
four  Indian  cycles  of  52  years  each  have  elapsed,  which  makes  208  years 
before  they  can  again  occur  as  initial,  because,  in  this  way,  no  account  is 
taken  of  characters  which  are  in  the  body  of  the  four  cycles ; and  though 
the  same  characters  are  found  there,  they  have  not  the  same  value.” 

Veytia  affirms  that  he  did  not  find  any  similar  explanation,  or  anything 
alluding  to  the  system  of  Boturini,  in  any  of  the  ancient  monuments  which 
he  had  collected  or  examined,  or  mentioned  by  any  Indian  historian,  not 
even  in  order  to  designate  the  epochs  of  the  most  remarkable  events.  But 
I believe  that,  in  answer  to  this  remark  of  Veytia,  it  may  be  said  that  Botu- 
rini, as  Veytia  states  elsewhere,  had  examined  the  calendars  used  in  old 
limes  by  the  Indians  of  Oaxacac,  Chiapas,  and  Soconusco,  and  these 
being  similar  to  that  of  the  Yucatecos,  it  is  not  unreasonable  to  suppose 
that  they,  like  the  Yucatecos,  computed  by  cycles  greater  than  the  Mexi- 
cans employed ; and  that  Boturini  took  from  them  the  idea,  though  con- 


APPENDIX. 


445 


fused  and  incorrect,  of  our  Ajaus,  or  great  cycles.  This  incorrectness 
might  arise  either  from  his  not  understanding  the  mechanism  of  their  mode 
of  computing,  owing  to  the  defective  explanation  given  by  the  Indians,  or 
from  the  manuscripts  which  Boturini  had  before  him  being  mutilated,  or, 
finally,  from  the  possible  fact  that  the  Indians  in  those  provinces  had  a par- 
ticular custom  of  counting  by  cycles  of  four  indictions,  or  of  208  years' 
which,  notwithstanding  the  difference  observed  in  their  calculation,  and  the 
number  of  years  which  it  produces,  have  a great  analogy  with  the  Yuca- 
teco  cycles  of  312  years.  The  only  thing  for  which  Boturini  may  be  cen- 
sured, if  the  Mexicans  had  no  knowledge  of  that  cycle,  and  did  not  use  it, 
was  the  ascribing  of  it  to  them  as  being  in  common  use  for  the  computa- 
tion of  the  greater  periods  of  time. 

The  great  similarity  between  the  names  of  the  days  in  the  calendar  of 
Oajaca,  Chiapas,  and  Soconusco,  and  those  of  the  Yucatecos,  has  been 
mentioned,  and  appears  clearly  by  comparing  the  latter  with  those  of  the 
said  provinces,  which  Veytia  has  transcribed  in  his  history,  chap,  xi.,  at 
the  end. 


Days  of  the  Oajaquian  Month. 

Days  of  the  Yuea'eco  Mon  h. 

1.  Votan. 

2.  Ghanan. 

3.  Abagh. 

4.  Tox. 

5.  Moxic. 

G.  Lambat. 

7.  Molo  or  Mulu. 

8.  Elah  or  Elab. 

9.  Batz. 

10.  Enoh  or  Enob. 

11.  Ben. 

12.  Hix. 

13.  Tzinkin. 

14.  Chabin. 

15.  Chue  or  Chic. 

16.  Chinax. 

17.  Cahogh. 

18.  Aghual. 

19.  Mox. 

20.  Ygh. 

1.  Kan. 

2.  Chicchan. 

3.  Guimi. 

4.  Manik. 

5.  Lamat. 

6.  Muluc. 

7.  Oc. 

8.  Chuen. 

9.  Eb. 

10.  Ben. 

11.  Hix  or  Gix. 

12.  Men. 

13.  Guib. 

14.  Caban. 

15.  Edznab. 

1G.  Cauac. 

17.  Ajau. 

18.  Ymix. 

19.  Yk. 

20.  Akbal. 

Oajacan  Ghanan,  gh  being  pronounced  as  k,  is  the  same  with  the  Yuca- 
teco  Kan  or  Kanan  (yellow);  Molo  or  Mulu,  Muluc;  Chue,  Chucn ; 
Aghual,  Akbal or  Akual;  Ygk,  Yk;  Lambat,  Laviat;  Ben  and  Hix,  Be-en 
and  Gix  or  Hix.  These  analogies,  and  the  fact  that  some  of  the  Yucateco 
names  have  no  known  signification,  induce  the  belief  that  both  calendars 
had  a common  origin,  with  only  such  alterations  as  the  priests  made  on 
account  of  particular  events  or  for  other  reasons;  which  alterations  our  In- 
dians adopted,  leaving  the  other  signs  unchanged,  either  because  they 
were  accustomed  to  them,  or  because  their  signification,  now  forgotten, 
was  then  known. 

The  Indians  of  Yucatan  had  yet  another  species  of  cycle;  but  as  the 
method  followed  by  them  in  using  it  cannot  be  found,  nor  any  example  by 
which  an  idea  of  its  nature  might  be  imagined,  I shall  only  copy  what  is 
literally  said  of  it  in  a manuscript,  viz.:  “There  was  another  number, 
which  they  called  Ua  Kalun , and  which  served  them  as  a key  to  find  the 
Katunes.  According  to  the  order  of  its  march,  it  falls  on  the  days  of  the 
Uayeb  jaab,  and  revolves  to  the  end  of  certain  years:  Katunes  13,  9,  5,  1, 
10,  6,  2,  11,  7,  3,  12,  8,  4.” 


38 


446 


APPENDIX, 


[N.B.  Uayeb  jaab  is  one  of  the  names  given  to  the  five  supplementary 

days  of  the  year,  and  also  to  the  last  four  years  of  the  Ajau  of  24  years.] 

Series  of  Ajaucs,  from  the  beginning  of  the  vulgar  era  to  the  present  year , and 
those  following  until  the  end  of  the  cycle.  It  is  formed  of  three  columns : the 
first  containing  the  years  of  the  Christian  era ; the  second,  the  years  of  the  in- 
diclion  in  which  the  Ajaues  commenced,  on  their  second  day;  and  the  third,  the 
succession  of  these  Ajaues.  ( The  vulgar  era  began  in  the  year  7 Kan,  trhkh 
was  the  2a!  of  7 Ajau,  that  commenced  the  second  day  of  the  year  of  the  indic- 
tion G Cauacj. 


Years  of  our 
Lord. 

Years  of  the 
Indic'.ion. 

Ajaues  that  began 
in  them 

Years  of  our 
L"r«l. 

Years  of  the 
Indiction 

.A janes  that  began 
in  them. 

24 

4.  Cauac. 

5.  Ajau. 

984 

2.  Cauac. 

3.  Ajau. 

48 

2.  Cauac. 

3.  Ajau. 

1008 

13.  Cauac. 

1.  Ajau. 

72 

13.  Cauac. 

1.  Ajau. 

1032 

11.  Cauac. 

12.  Ajau. 

96 

11.  Cauac. 

12.  Ajau. 

1056 

9.  Cauac. 

10.  Ajau. 

120 

9.  Cauac. 

10.  Ajau. 

1080 

7.  Cauac. 

8.  Ajau. 

144 

7.  Cauac. 

8.  Ajau. 

1104 

5.  Cauac. 

6.  Ajau. 

168 

5.  Cauac. 

6.  Ajau. 

1128 

3.  Cauac. 

4.  Ajau. 

192 

3.  Cauac. 

4.  Ajau. 

1152 

1.  Cauac. 

2.  Ajau. 

216 

1.  Cauac. 

2.  Ajau. 

*1176 

*12.  Cauac. 

*13.  Ajau. 

*240 

*12.  Cauac. 

*13.  Ajau. 

1200 

10.  Cauac. 

11.  Ajau. 

264 

10.  Cauac. 

11.  Ajau. 

1224 

8.  Cauac. 

9.  Ajau. 

288 

8.  Cauac. 

9.  Ajau. 

1248 

6.  Cauac. 

7.  Ajau. 

312 

6.  Cauac. 

7.  Ajau. 

1272 

4.  Cauac. 

5.  Ajau. 

336 

4.  Cauac. 

5.  Ajau. 

1296 

2.  Cauac. 

3.  Ajau. 

360 

2.  Cauac. 

3.  Ajau. 

1320 

13.  Cauac. 

1.  Ajau. 

384 

13.  Cauac. 

1.  Ajau. 

1344 

11.  Cauac. 

12.  Ajau. 

408 

11.  Cauac. 

12.  Ajau. 

1368 

9.  Cauac. 

10.  Ajau. 

432 

9.  Cauac. 

10.  Ajau. 

1392 

7.  Cauac. 

8.  Ajau. 

456 

7.  Cauac. 

8.  Ajau. 

1416 

5.  Cauac. 

6.  Ajau. 

480 

5.  Cauac. 

6.  Ajau. 

1440 

3.  Cauac. 

4.  Ajau. 

504 

3.  Cauac. 

4.  Ajau. 

1464 

1.  Cauac. 

2.  Ajau. 

528 

1.  Cauac. 

2.  Ajau. 

*1488 

*12.  Cauac. 

*13.  Ajau. 

*552 

*12.  Cauac. 

*13.  Ajau. 

1512 

10.  Cauac. 

11.  Ajau. 

576 

10.  Cauac. 

11.  Ajau. 

1536 

8.  Cauac. 

9.  Ajau. 

600 

8.  Cauac. 

9.  Ajau. 

1560 

6.  Cauac. 

7.  Ajau. 

624 

6.  Cauac. 

7.  Ajau. 

1584 

4.  Cauac. 

5.  Ajau. 

648 

4.  Cauac. 

5.  Ajau. 

1608 

2.  Cauac. 

3.  Ajau. 

672 

2.  Cauac. 

3.  Ajau. 

1632 

13.  Cauac. 

1-  Ajau. 

696 

13.  Cauac. 

1.  Ajau. 

1656 

11.  Cauac. 

12.  Ajau. 

720 

11.  Cauac. 

12.  Ajau. 

1680 

9.  Cauac. 

10.  Ajau. 

744 

9.  Cauac. 

10.  Ajau. 

1704 

7.  Cauac. 

8.  Ajau. 

768 

7.  Cauac. 

8.  Ajau. 

1728 

5.  Cauac. 

6.  Ajau. 

792 

5.  Cauac. 

6.  Ajau. 

1752 

3.  Cauac. 

4.  Ajau. 

816 

3.  Cauac. 

4.  Ajau. 

1776 

1.  Cauac. 

2.  Ajau. 

840 

1.  Cauac. 

2.  Ajau. 

*1800 

*12.  Cauac. 

*13.  Ajau. 

*864 

*12.  Cauac. 

*13.  Ajau. 

1824 

10.  Cauac. 

11.  Ajau. 

888 

10.  Cauac. 

11.  Ajau. 

1848 

8.  Cauac. 

9.  Ajau. 

912 

8.  Cauac. 

9.  Ajau. 

1872 

6.  Cauac. 

7.  Ajau. 

936 

960 

6.  Cauac. 
4.  Cauac. 

7.  Ajau. 
5.  Ajau. 

1896 

4.  Cauac. 

5.  Ajau. 

From  the  preceding  series  it  is  manifest  that  from  the  birth  of  Christ 


APPENDIX. 


447 


until  the  beginning  of  this  cycle,  have  elapsed  6 great  cycles,  one  epoch,  and 
17  (years)  of  another;  the  first  epoch  of  the  first  cycle  requiring  a year,  as 
has  been  stated. 

Additional  Note  at  End  of  Don  J.  P.  Perez's  Essay. 

Since  this  exposition  was  written,  I have  had  an  opportunity  of  seeing 
the  w'irk.  above  quoted,  of  Chevalier  Boturini,  in  which,  speaking  of  the 
Toltec  Inmans,  he  says : 

After  their  peregrination  through  Asia,  they  reached  the  Continent 
(America),  and  penetrated  to  Hutchuetlapallan,  the  first  city  of  New  Spain, 
in  which  their  wise  men  convened  130  and  some  years  before  the  birth  of 
Christ;  and  seeing  that  the  civil  did  not  agree  with  the  astronomical  year, 
and  that  the  equinoctial  days  were  altered,  they  determined  to  add  in  every 
four  years  one  day,  in  order  to  recover  the  hours  which  were  (annually) 
lost.  And  it  is  supposed  that  they  effected  it  by  counting  one  of  the  sym- 
bols of  the  last  month  of  the  year  twice  (as  the  Romans  did  with  their  bis- 
sextile days),  without  disturbing  their  order,  because  adding  or  taking  away 
(a  symbol)  would  destroy  their  perpetual  system ; and  thus  they  made  the 
commencement  of  the  civil  year  to  agree  with  the  vernal  equinox,  which 
was  the  principal  and  governing  part  of  the  year. 

He  adds,  that  although  the  intercalated  day  had  not  a place  in  the  order 
of  the  symbols  of  the  days  of  the  year,  but  was  thrust  in,  as  it  were,  like  an 
interloper,  still  it  gave  a name  (or  character)  to  the  bissextile  year,  having 
most  solemn  feasts  reserved  to  it,  which,  even  in  the  third  age,  were  sanc- 
tioned by  the  emperor  or  king  of  those  provinces ; and  they  were  held  in 
honour  of  the  god  Xinteudli,  “ lord  of  the  year,”  with  great  preparation  of 
viands  and  sumptuous  dances,  in  which  the  lords  alone  danced  and  sang; 
and  for  this  reason  they  were  called  “ the  songs  and  dances  of  the  lords.” 
In  the  same  bissextile  year  was  held  the  solemn  ceremony  of  piercing  the 
ears  of  the  girls  and  young  men,  it  being  reserved  for  the  high-priest  to  exe- 
cute that  function,  assisted  by  godfathers  and  godmothers. 

In  the  27th  paragraph  of  the  observations  he  says,  that  there  was  in  the 
third  age  another  mode  of  intercalating,  applied  only  to  the  ritual  calendar, 
and  that,  in  order  not  to  disturb  either  the  perpetual  order  of  the  fixed 
feasts,  or  of  the  sixteen  movable  feasts,  which  circulated  among  the  sym- 
bols of  the  days  of  the  year,  by  (or  for  the  sake  of)  counting  twice  the  sym- 
bol of  the  last  month  of  the  bissextile  year,  which  caused  them  much  anxi- 
ety on  account  of  the  displeasure  of  their  gods,  it  was  held  better  to  re- 
serve the  13  bissextile  days  for  the  end  of  the  cycle  of  52  years ; which 
(days)  are  distinguished  in  their  wheels  or  tables  by  thirteen  ciphers, 
(painted)  blue  or  of  some  other  colour;  and  they  belonged  neither  to  any 
month  nor  any  year,  nor  had  they  particular  or  individual  symbols,  like, 
the  other  days.  It  was  with  them  as  if  there  were  no  such  days,  nor  were 
they  dedicated  to  any  of  their  gods,  on  which  account  they  were  reputed 


448 


APPENDIX. 


“ unfortunate.”  The  whole  of  those  13  days  was  a time  of  penitence  and 
fasting,  for  fear  that  the  world  should  come  to  an  end ; nor  did  they  eat  any 
warm  food,  as  the  fire  was  extinguished  through  the  whole  land  till  the  new 
cycle  began,  when  the  ceremony  of  the  new  fire  was  celebrated. 

But  as  all  these  were  matters  relating  only  to  rites  and  sacrifices  (not  to 
the  true  computation  of  time),  this  mode  of  intercalating  had  no  application 
to  the  natural  year,  because  it  would  have  greatly  deranged  the  solstices, 
equinoxes,  and  beginnings  of  the  years ; and  the  fact  is  abundantly  proved 
by  the  circumstance  that  the  days  thus  intercalated  (at  the  end  of  the  cycle) 
had  none  of  the  symbols  belonging  to  the  days  of  the  year,  and  the  ritual 
calendar  accounted  them  bissextiles  at  the  end  of  each  cycle,  in  imitation, 
though  by  a different  order,  of  the  civil  bissextiles,  which  (as  being  more 
accurate)  were  more  proper  for  the  regulation  of  public  affairs. 


AN  ALMANAC,  ADJUSTED  ACCORDING  TO  THE  CHRONOLOGICAL  CALCULATION  OF 

THE  ANCIENT  INDIANS  OF  YUCATAN,  FOR  THE  YEARS  1841  AND  1842,  BY  DON 

JUAN  PIO  PEREZ. 

Observations. — The  notes  or  remarks  utz,  yutz  kin,  a lucky  day,  lob,  u 
lob  kin,  an  unlucky  day,  signify  that  the  Indians  had  their  days  of  good 
and  of  ill  fortune,  like  some  of  the  nations  of  ancient  Europe;  although  it 
is  easily  perceived  that  the  number  of  their  days  of  ill  fortune  is  excessive, 
still  they  are  the  same  found  by  me  in  three  ancient  almanacs  which  I 
have  examined,  and  found  to  agree  very  nearly.  I have  applied  them  to  the 
number,  not  the  name,  of  the  day,  because  the  announcements  of  rain,  of 
planting,  &c.,  must,  in  my  opinion,  belong  to  thp  fixed  days  of  the  month, 
and  not  to  the  names  of  particular  days;  as  these  each  year  are  changed, 
and  turn  upon  the  four  primaries,  Kan,  Maine,  Gix,  and  Cauac,  chiefs  of 
the  year.  In  another  place,  however,  I have  seen  it  laid  down  as  a rule 
that  the  days  Chicchan,  Cimi  or  Kind,  Oc,  Men,  Ahau,  and  Aklal,  are  the 
days  of  rest  in  the  month ; and  this  appears  probable,  as  I see  no  reason 
why  there  should  be  so  great  an  excess  of  days  of  ill  fortune.  In  the  al- 
manacs cited  above,  this  order  was  not  observed,  either  from  ignorance  or 
excessive  superstition. 

Thus  the  days  on  which  the  burner  takes  his  fire,  kindles  it,  gives  it  free 
scope,  and  extinguishes  it,  are  subject  to  the  3d,  4th,  10th,  and  11th  of  the 
days  Chicclian,  Oc,  Men,  and  Ahau;  as  they  say,  for  example,  that  on  the 
3d  Chicchan  the  burner  takes  his  fire,  on  the  10th  Chicchan  he  begins,  the 
4th  Chicchan  he  gives  it  scope,  and  the  11th  Chicchan  he  extinguishes  it; 
the  same  may  be  said  of  Oc,  Men,  and  Ahau  ; from  which  we  see  that 
these  epochs  are  movable,  as  the  days  3,  4,  10,  and  11  do  not  always  fall 
on  the  same  days  of  the  month,  but  only  according  to  the  combination  of 
the  weekly  numbers  with  the  days  referred  to. 


APPENDIX. 


449 


It  may  be  asked,  who  is  this  burner  that  takes  his  fire,  kindles  it,  permits 
it  to  destroy,  and  extinguishes  it  7 To  this  I cannot  reply,  as  I have  been 
unable  to  find  an  explanation  of  the  mystery;  perhaps  the  days  specified 
might  be  days  of  sacrifice,  or  some  other  act  of  superstition. 


1st  INDIAN  MONTH,  “ POP,”  OF  THE  YEAR  1 KAN. 


Pop. 

July. 

1.  Kan. 

1 

Hun  Kan,  utz  licil  u cutal,  Pop  (good,  as 
the  beginning  of  Pop). 

16 

2.  Chicchan. 

2 

Ca  Chicchan,  utz  u tial  pakal  (good  for 
planting). 

17 

3.  Q.uimi. 

3 

Ox  Ouimi,  lob  kin  (an  unlucky  day). 

18 

4.  Manik. 

4 

Can  Manik,  utz  u tial  pakal  (good  for 
planting). 

19 

5.  Lamat. 

5 

Ho  Lamat,  utz  kin  (a  good  day). 

20 

6.  Muluc. 

6 

Uac  Muluc,  utz  kin  (6  Muluc;  a good 
day). 

21 

7.  Oc. 

7 

Uuc  Oc,  utz  u tial  ahguehob  (good  for 
hunting;  for  the  settlers). 

Uaxxac  Chuen,  yutz  kin,  kal  ikal  u chi- 
bal  tok  (good  day ; without  wind). 

22 

8.  Chuen. 

8 

23 

9.  Eb. 

9 

Bolon  Eb,  u lob  kin  (9  Eb ; a bad  day). 

21 

10.  Been. 

10 

Lahun  Been,  yutz  kin  (10  Been;  a good 
day). 

25 

11.  Hix. 

11 

Buluc  Hix,  yutz  kin  (11  Hix;  a good 
day). 

26 

12.  Men. 

12 

Lahca  Men,  yutz  kin  (12  Men;  a good 
day). 

27 

13.  Gluib. 

13 

Oxlahun  Q-uib,  u lob  kin  (13  Q,uib;  an 
unlucky  day). 

28 

1.  Caban. 

14 

Hun  Caban,  u lob  kin  (1  Caban;  an  un- 
lucky day). 

29 

2.  Edznab. 

15 

Ca  Edznab,  yutz  kin,  licil  u zihil  ahmiatz 
yetel  ahdzib  hunob  f good  day;  in  which 
are  born  writers  and  wise  men). 

30 

3.  Cauac. 

16 

Ox  Cauac,  yutz  kin  (a  good  day). 

31 

4.  Ahau. 

17 

Can  Ahau,  yutz  kin  ti  almehenob;  yal- 
cab  u kak  ahtoc  (a  good  day  for  the 
nobles ; the  burner  gives  the  fire  scope). 

Aug.  1 

5.  Ymix. 

18 

Ho  Ymix,  u lob  kin  (a  bad  day). 

2 

6.  Yk. 

19 

Uac  Yk,  u lob  kin  (an  unlucky  day). 

3 

7.  Akbal. 

20 

Uuc  Akbal,  yutz  kin  (a  good  day). 

4 

UO,  2d  INDIAN  MONTH. 


U... 

August. 

8.  Kan. 

1 

Uaxxac  Kan,  u lob  kin  licil  u cutal  Uo 
(a  bad  day,  as  the  root  of  Uo). 

5 

9.  Chicchan. 

2 

Bolon  Chicchan,  u lob  kin  (an  unlucky 
day). 

6 

10.  Ouimi. 

3 

Lahun  Gtuiml,  u lob  kin  (an  unlucky 
day). 

7 

11.  Manik. 

4 

Buluc  Manik,  u lob  kin  (an  unlucky  dav). 

8 

12.  Lamat. 

5 

Lahca  Lamat,  u lob  kin  (an  unluckvdav). 

9 

13.  Muluc. 

6 

Oxlahun  Muluc,  u lob  kin  (an  unlucky 
day). 

10 

I 


450 


APPENDIX. 


* 


co,  2d  indiav  month  (Continued). 


Uo. 

Augnst. 

7 

1,  Oc,  u lob  kin,  cimil  hoppol  kin  (a  bad  day;  death  in 

the  five  following). 

11 

8 

2,  Chuen,  u lob  kin  (an  unlucky  day). 

12 

9 

3.  Eb,  u lob  kin,  chetun  cimil  yani  (a  bad  day;  sudden 

deaths). 

13 

10 

4,  Been,  u lob  kin,  u ooc  cimil  (an  unlucky  day;  sud- 

den  deaths). 

14 

11 

5,  Hix,  u lob  kin  (an  unfortunate  day). 

15 

12 

6,  Men,  u lob  kin  (an  unfortunate  day). 

16 

13 

7,  Q.uib,  u lob  kin  (an  unfortunate  day). 

17 

14 

8.  Caban,  u lob  kin  (an  unfortunate  day). 

18 

15 

9,  Edznab,  u lob  kin,  cimil  yani  (a  bad  day;  death  is 

here). 

19 

16 

10,  Cauac,  u lob  kin  (an  unlucky  day). 

20 

17 

1 1,  Ahau,  lob,  u tup  kak  ahtoc  (bad;  tne burner  puts  out 

the  fire). 

21 

18 

12,  Ymix,  u lob  kin  (an  unfortunate  day). 

22 

19 

13,  Yk,  u lob  kin  (an  unfortunate  day). 

23 

20 

1,  Akbal,  au  yutz  Kin  (a  lucky  day). 

24 

ZIP,  3d  INDIAN  MONTH. 


Zip. 

August. 

1 

2,  Kan,  yutz  kin,  licil  u cutal  Zip  (a  good  day;  the  root 

of  Zip). 

25 

2 

3,  Chicchan,  lob,  u cha  kak  ahtoc  (bad;  the  burner 

takes  the  fire). 

26 

3 

4,  Q.uimf,  yutz  kin,  u kin  takal  u kab  balam  (a  good 

day;  one  in  which  the  hands  are  laid  on  the  tiger). 

27 

4 

5,  Manik,  u lob  kin  (an  unlucky  day). 

28 

5 

6,  Lamat,  u lob  kin. 

29 

6 

7,  Muluc,  u lob  kin. 

30 

7 

8,  Oc,  u lob  kin. 

31 

8 

9,  Chuen,  u lob  kin. 

Sept.  1 

9 

10,  Eb,  u lob  kin. 

2 

10 

11,  Ben,  u lob  kin. 

3 

11 

12,  Hix,  utz  kin  (a  good  day). 

4 

12 

13,  Men,  utz  u zihil  ahau  (good;  the  king  is  bom). 

5 

13 

1,  Q,uib,  utz  kin. 

6 

14 

2,  Caban,  yutz  kin. 

7 

15 

3,  Edznab,  yutz  kin. 

8 

16 

4,  Cauac,  yutz  kin. 

9 

17 

5,  Ahau,  yutz  kin. 

10 

18 

6,  Ymix,  yutz  kin,  haahal  tela  (a  good  day;  there  is 

rain). 

11 

19 

7,  Yk,  yutz  kin,  haahal  tela  (a  good  day;  there  is  rain). 

12 

20 

8,  Akbal,  yutz. 

13 

ZODZ,  4TH  INDIAN  MONTH. 


Z»(lz. 

Sept. 

1 

9,  Kan,  utz  u zian  ku,  u kin  chac  licil  u cutal  zoo  (good; 

church  day,  of  rain,  &c.). 

14 

2 

10,  Chicchan,  u lob  kin,  u hoppol  u kak  ahtoc  (a  bad  day ; 

the  fire  begins). 

15 

APPENDIX. 


45] 


zodz,  4th  Indian  month  (Continued). 


Zndz. 

Sept 

3 

11,  Uunni,  u lob  kin,  u kin  umclico  bun  abau,  coll  unich 

(a  bad  day). 

1G 

4 

12,  Manik,  u lob  kin  (a  bad  day). 

17 

5 

13,  Lamat,  yutz  kin. 

18 

6 

1,  Muluc,  yutz  kin. 

19 

7 

2,  Oc,  yutz  kin. 

20 

8 

3,  Ctiuen,  yutz  kin. 

21 

3 

4,  Eb,  lob  kin,  licilu  zihil  ahau  (bad;  the  king  is  born). 

22 

10 

5,  Ben,  lob  kin. 

23 

11 

6,  Hix,  utz  u tial  Ahcabnalob  licil  u pakal  cab  (good  for 

the  bee-hunters ; in  it  the  swarms  are  hived). 

24 

12 

7,  Men,  utz. 

25 

13 

8,  Q,uib,  yutz  kin. 

26 

14 

9,  Caban,  u yutz  kin. 

27 

15 

10,  Edznab,  u yutz  kin. 

28 

16 

11,  Cauac,  u yutz  kin. 

29 

17 

12,  Ahau,  lob  u kukumtok  chapahal  yani  (bad ; the  plume 

of  infirmities). 

30 

18 

13,  Yinix,  lob  kin. 

Oct.  1 

19 

1,  Yk,  utz  kin,  u zian  chac  (good;  a day  of  rain). 

2 

20 

2,  Akbal,  u lob  kin. 

3 

ZEC,  5tII  INDIAN  MONTH. 


Zee. 

October. 

1 

3,  Kan,  utz  u zian  chac  licil  u cutal  zee  (good ; begin- 

ning  of  Zee;  rairi). 

4 

2 

4,  Chicchan,  lob  u yalcab  u kak  ahtoc  (bad;  the  burner 

gives  the  fire  scope). 

5 

3 

5,  Q.uimf,  lob  u lubul  u koch  mehen  palalob;  chapahal 
yani  (bad ; the  tax  on  children  falls  due ; there  is  sick- 

ness). 

6 

4 

G,  Manik,  lob. 

7 

5 

7,  Lamat,  u lob  kin. 

8 

G 

8,  Muluc,  u lob  kin. 

9 

7 

9,  Oc,  u yutz  kin,  zut  ti  kaax  xinxinbal  (good  for  walk- 

ing,  &c.). 

10 

8 

10,  Chuen,  u lob  kin. 

11 

9 

11,  Eb,  u lob  kin. 

12 

10 

12,  Been,  u lob  kin. 

13 

11 

13,  Hix,  u lob  kin. 

14 

12 

1,  Men,  u lob  kin. 

15 

13 

2,  Q,uib,  u lob  kin,  kalal  hub,  cinil  yani  (an  unlucky 
day;  the  snail  retreats  to  his  shell,  or  is  sawn  open; 

death  is  in  the  day). 

16 

14 

3,  Caban,  yutz  kin. 

17 

15 

4,  Edznab,  lob,  u hokol  chacmitan  tac  metnal  ti  kin  ti 
akab  (bad;  hunger  is  loosed  from  hell  by  day  and 

night). 

18 

16 

5,  Cauac,  u lob  kin. 

19 

17 

G,  Ahau,  u lob  kin. 

20 

18 

7,  Ymix,  u lob  kin. 

21 

19 

8,  Yk,  u lob  kin. 

22 

20 

9,  Akbal,  u lob  kin. 

23 

452 


A P P E N D I X. 


XUL,  6th  INDIAN  MONTH. 


Xul. 

October. 

1 

10,  Kan,  lob,  u zian  chac  licil  u cutal  Xul  (bad;  rain  ; 

beginning  of  Xul). 

24 

2 

11,  Chicchan,  ulz  u tup  kak  ahtoc,  u ca  kin  hai  (good  ; 

second  day  of  rain  ; the  burner  extinguishes  the  lire). 

25 

3 

12,  Q.uimi,  lob  kin. 

26 

4 

13,  Manik,  u lob  kin. 

27 

5 

1,  Lamat,  utz  u yalcab  muyal  (good;  the  clouds  fly). 

28 

6 

2,  Muluc,  lob  u lubul  u koch  mehenob  yetel  akkinob 
licil  u ppixichob  (bad;  day  of  watching;  the  tax  of 

the  sons  and  priests  falls  due). 

29 

7 

3,  Oc,  lob  u cha  kak  ahtoc  (bad;  the  burner  takes  fire). 

30 

8 

4,  Chuen,  lob  kin. 

31 

9 

5,  Eb,  u lob  kin. 

Nov.  1 

10 

6,  Been,  u lob  kin. 

7,  Hix,lob  kin,  u lubul  u koch  almehenob  ppixich  yani 

2 

11 

(bad;  a day  of  watching;  of  taxes  from  the  nobles). 

3 

12 

8,  Men,  u lob  kin. 

4 

13 

9.  Gluib,  u lob  kin. 

5 

14 

10,  Caban,  u lob  kin. 

6 

15 

11,  Edznab,  u lob  kin. 

7 

16 

12,  Cauac,  u lob  kin,  u mupptun  cizin  lae  (a  bad  day, 

and  of  attacks  from  the  devil). 

8 

17 

13,  Ahau,  u lob  kin. 

9 

18 

1,  Ymix,  u lob  kin. 

10 

19 

2,  Yk,  u lob  kin. 

11 

20 

3,  Akbal,  u lob  kin. 

12 

DZEYAXKIN,  7tH  INDIAN  MONTH. 


Dzeyaxkin 

Nov. 

1 

4,  Kan,  u lob  kin,  licil  u cutal  Teyaxkin  (bad  day;  be- 

ginning  of  Dzeyaxkin). 

13 

2 

5,  Chicchan,  u lob  kin. 

14 

3 

6,  Gluimi,  u lob  kin. 

15 

4 

7,  Manik,  lob,  utz  u pec  chaci  u kin  hai,  u zut  muyal 

nocoycaan  chalbaku  (bad;  thunder,  rain,  clouds,  &c.) 

16 

5 

8,  Lamat,  u lob  kin. 

9,  Muluc,  lob  u kaalal  hub  u yail  kin,  u chibal,  hub  yani 
(bad ; the  snail’s  horn  is  closed ; a bad  day  on  it,  a 

17 

6 

snail  will  bite). 

18 

7 

10,  Oc,  lob  kin,  u hoppol  u kak  ahtoc  (bad;  the  burner 

begins). 

19 

8 

11,  Chuen,  u lob  kin. 

20 

9 

12,  Eb,  u lob  kin. 

21 

10 

13,  Been,  u lob  kin. 

22 

11 

1.  Hix.  yutz  kin. 

23 

12 

2,  Men,  yutz  kin. 

24 

13 

3,  Gluib,  u lob  kin,  yoc  uah  payambe  (bad ; beginning  of 

25 

bread). 

14 

4,  Caban,  u lob  kin,  ceel  yani  (bad ; there  are  agues). 

26 

15 

5,  Edznab,  u lob  kin. 

27 

16 

6,  Cauac,  u lob  kin. 

28 

17 

7,  Ahau,  u lob  kin. 

29 

18 

8,  Ymix,  u lob  kin. 

30 

19 

9,  Yk,  utz  u hoppol  hai  (good ; the  rain  begins). 

Dec.  1 

20 

U),  Akbal,  utz  kin. 

2 

APPENDIX. 


453 


MOL,  8tII  INDIAN  MONTH. 


Mol. 

Dec. 

1 

11,  Ivan,  u lob  kin, licil  u cutal  Mol  (a  bad  day;  the  be- 

ginning  ol'  Mol). 

3 

2 

12,  Chicchan,  u lob  kin. 

4 

3 

13,  Q.uimi,  u lob  kin. 

5 

4 

1,  Manik,  utz. 

6 

5 

2,  Lamat,  u lob  kin. 

7 

G 

3,  Muluc,  u lob  kin. 

8 

7 

4,  Oe,  yutz  kin  u yalcab  u kak  ahtoc  (a  good  day;  the 

burner  gives  scope  to  the  lire). 

9 

8 

5,  Chuen,  yutz  kin. 

10 

9 

G,  Eb,  u lob  kin. 

11 

10 

7,  Been,  yutz  kin. 

12 

11 

8,  Hix,  u lob  kin. 

13 

12 

9,  Men,  u lob  kin. 

14 

13 

10,  Q.uib,  yutz  kin  u kin  noh  uah  (a  day  of  abundance). 

15 

14 

11,  Caban,  yutz  kin. 

1G 

15 

12,  Edznab,  u lob  kin,  u Chaalba  ku  (a  bad  day  for  the 

church). 

17 

16 

13,  Cauac,  yutz  kin  licil,  u kokol  u yik  hub  u kin  ha 

(good ; the  horn  sounds  well ; rain). 

18 

17 

1,  Ahau,  u lob  kin. 

19 

18 

2,  Ymix,  u lob  kin,  u coi  kinal  ahau  ku  (bad;  a day  less- 

ened  by  the  King  of  the  Temple,  God). 

20 

19 

3,  Yk,  u lob  kin. 

21 

20 

4,  Akbal,  u lob  kin,  u coi  kinal  ahau  ku  (an  unlucky 

day ; lessened  by  the  King  God,  or  King  of  the  Tem- 

pie). 

22 

CHEN,  9tH  INDIAN  MONTH. 


Cti"n. 

Dec. 

1 

5,  Kan,  lob  (utz)  licil  u cutal  Chen  (bad  or  good;  be- 

ginning  ol  Chen). 

23 

2 

G,  Chicchan,  u lob  kin  (utz). 

24 

3 

7,  Q.uiml,  yutz  kin. 

25 

4 

8,  Manik,  lob  kin. 

2G 

5 

9,  Lamat,  u lob  kin. 

27 

b 

1 0,  Muluc,  u lob  kin. 

28 

7 

11,  Oc  utz,  u tup  kak  ahtoc  (good ; the  burner  puts  out 

the  fire;. 

29 

8 

12,  Chuen,  yutz  kin. 

30 

9 

13,  Eb,  yutz  kin. 

31 

10 

1,  Been,  yutz  kin.  1842 

Jan.  1 

11 

2,  Hix,  yutz  kin. 

o 

12 

3,  Men,  utz  u cha  kak  ahtoc  (good  ; the  burner  takes  his 

fire). 

3 

13 

4,  Q.uib  utz. 

4 

14 

5,  Caban,  lob  licil  u cimil  uinicob  u xulti  (bad;  the  end 

of  man). 

5 

15 

6,  Edznab,  u lob  kin. 

G 

16 

7,  Cauac,  utz  kin,  u tial  kabnal  (good  for  the  bee-hunt- 

er). 

7 

17 

8,  Ahau,  yutz  kin. 

S 

18 

9,  Ymix.  yutz  kin. 

9 

19 

10,  Yk,  yutz  kin. 

10 

20 

11,  Akbal,  yutz  kin. 

11 

454 


APPENDIX. 


YAX,  IOtH  INDIAN  MONTH. 


Yax. 

January. 

1 

12,  Kan,  lob  licil  u cutal  Yax  (bad  ; beginning  of  Yax). 

12 

2 

13,  Chicchan,  lob  u kukumtok  chapahal  yani  (an  unfor- 

tunate  day ; plume  of  maladies). 

13 

3 

1.  Q.uimf,  lob  kin. 

14 

4 

2,  Manik,  utz  u xul  kaxal  hal  (end  of  rains). 

15 

5 

3,  Lamat,  u lob  kin. 

16 

8 

4,  Muluc,  utz  u zian  chaac  (day  of  rain). 

17 

7 

5,  Oc,  licil  u kalal  u koch  mehen  palal  (the  taxing  of 

children  is  ended). 

18 

8 

6,  Chuen,  u lob  kin. 

19 

9 

7,  Eb,  yutz  kin. 

20 

10 

8,  Been,  yutz  kin. 

21 

11 

9,  Hix,  u lob  kin. 

22 

12 

10,  Men,  utz  u hoppol  u kak  ahloc,  utz  ti  cucut,  ti  kaax 
u rial  ahcehob  (a  good  day ; the  fire  of  the  burner  be- 

gins ; good  for  the  body,  for  the  forests,  and  the  deer). 

23 

13 

11,  Q,uib,  u lob  kin. 

24 

14 

12,  Caban,  u lob  kin. 

25 

15 

13,  Edznab,  u lob  kin. 

26 

16 

1,  Cauac,  u lob  kin. 

27 

17 

2,  Ahau,  u lob  kin. 

28 

18 

3,  Ymix,  u lob  kin,  u kin  kal  be  hub  (bad;  the  horn  does 

not  sound). 

29 

19 

4,  Yk,  yutz  xin. 

30 

20 

5,  Akbal,  lob  u kin,  u hokol  chacmitan  choctal  metnal 
chetun  cimil  yani  (bad ; hunger  stalks  abroad ; death 

is  here). 

31 

ZAC,  llTH  INDIAN  MONTH. 


Zac. 

February 

1 

6,  Kan,  lob  licil  u cutal  Zac  (bad;  the  commencement 

of  Zac). 

1 

o 

7,  Chicchan,  lob  kin. 

2 

3 

8,  Q.uimi,  u lob  kin. 

3 

4 

9,  Manik,  u lob  kin. 

4 

5 

10,  Lamat,  u lob  kin. 

5 

6 

11,  Muluc,  utz  cu  pec  chaaci,  ha  yani  (good;  thunder 

and  rain). 

6 

7 

12,  Oc,  yutz  kin. 

7 

8 

13,  Chuen,  u lob  kin. 

8 

9 

1,  Eb,  lob  kin. 

9 

10 

2,  Been,  yutz  kin. 

10 

11 

3,  Hix,  u lob  kin. 

11 

12 

4,  Men,  u lob  kin,  u yalcab  a kak  ahtoc,  u lubul  u koch 
ahkin  ppixich  (a  bad  day  ; the  burner  gives  scope  to 

the  fire ; taxation  of  the  priests). 

12 

13 

5,  Q.uib,  u lob  kin  chapahal  chocuil. 

13 

14 

6,  Caban,  u lob  kin. 

14 

15 

7,  Edznab,  u lob  kin. 

15 

16 

8,  Cauac,  u lob  kin  ti  ppix  ich. 

16 

17 

9,  Ahau,  u lob  kin,  u lubul  u koch  al  mehenob(bad;  the 
days  of  the  contribution  of  the  nobles  are  completed). 

17 

18 

10,  Ymix,  u lob  kin  (utz). 

18 

19 

11,  Yk,  u lob  kin. 

19 

20 

12,  Akbal,  u lob  kin,  u nup  cizin  telae  (bad ; insidious 

attacks  of  the  arch-fiend). 

20 

APPENDIX. 


455 


aUEJ,  12th  INDIAN  MONTH. 


Quej. 

February 

1 

lo,  Kan,  u lob  kin. 

21 

2 

1,  Chicchan,  u lob  kin. 

22 

3 

2,  Q,uimf,  u lob  kin  u thalal  u koch  ahkulelob  (day  of 

lawyers). 

23 

4 

3,  Manik,  yutz  kin  u thalal  u koch  ahaulil  uincob  (a  day 

of  service,  or  binding  on  the  kings  of  men). 

24 

5 

4,  Lamat,  u lob  kin. 

25 

G 

5,  Muluc,  u lob  kin. 

2G 

7 

6,  Oc,  u lob  kin. 

27 

8 

7,  Chuen,  u lob  kin. 

28 

9 

8,  Eb,  yutz  kin,  u kin  pec  chaac  (good;  it  thunders). 

Mar.  1 

10 

9,  Been,  u lob  kin. 

2 

11 

10,  Hix,  lob  kin  u kalaal  hub. 

3 

12 

11,  Men,  u lob  kin,  u tup  kak  ahtoc  (bad;  the  burner 

puts  out  the  fire). 

4 

13 

12,  Q.uib,  u lob  kin. 

5 

14 

13,  Caban,  u lob  kin. 

G 

15 

1,  Edznab,  u lob  kin,  uchac  u pec  chaaci  (bad ; it  may 

thunder). 

7 

1G 

2,  Cauac,  u lob  kin. 

8 

17 

3,  Ahau,  u lob  kin,  u cha  kak  ahtoc  (bad;  the  burner 

handles  the  fire). 

9 

18 

4,  Ymix,  utz,  yoc  uil  payambe,  ti  u kaxal  ha:  chikin 

chaac (good ; abundance). 

10 

19 

5,  Yk,  u lob  kin ; ceel  xan  u yoc  uil  (bad;  agues ; and 

day  of  plenty). 

11 

20 

6,  Akbal,  lob  chac  ceeli  (utz)  (bad  ; fevers). 

12 

MAC,  13tH  INDIAN  MONTH. 


Mac. 

March. 

1 

7,  Kan,  u lob  kin,  licil  u cutal  Mac  (bad ; beginning  ol 

Mac). 

13 

2 

8,  Chicchan,  u lob  kin. 

14 

3 

9,  Quimf,  u lob  kin. 

15 

4 

10,  Manik,  utz,  u hoppol  hai  (good;  the  beginning  of 

rain). 

16 

5 

11,  Lamat,  yutz  kin. 

17 

6 

12,  Muluc,  yutz  kin. 

18 

7 

13,  Oc,  u lob  kin. 

19 

8 

1,  Chuen,  u lob  kin. 

20 

9 

2,  Eb,  yutz  kin. 

21 

10 

3,  Been,  u lob  kin,  licil  upec  chikin  chac  (bad;  wester- 

ly  rains). 

22 

11 

4,  Hix,  u lob  kin. 

23 

12 

5,  Men,  u lob  kin. 

24 

13 

6,  Q.uib,  u lob  kin. 

25 

14 

7,  Caban,  u lob  kin. 

26 

15 

8,  Edznab,  utz  yoc  uil  (sign  of  abundance). 

27 

16 

9,  Cauac,  utz  kin. 

28  ! 

17 

10,  Ahau,  utz  u hoppol  u kak  ahtoc,  yoc  uil  (the  burner 

lights  his  fire ; harvest  day). 

29 

18 

11,  Ymix,  utz  u yoc  uil. 

30 

19 

12,  Yk,  yutz  kin. 

31 

20 

13,  Akbal,  utz  u chaalba  ku  (u  zian  ku)  (church  day). 

Apr.  1 

456 


APPENDIX. 


KANKIN,  14TH  INDIAN  MONTH. 


Ivankin. 

April. 

i 

1,  Kan,  lob,  licil  u cutal  Kankin  (bad  ; the  root  of  Kan- 

kin). 

2 

o 

2,  Chicchan,  lob  u hokol  u yik  hub,  u kin  ha  (an  un- 

lucky  day ; day  of  rain ; the  horn  sounds). 

3 

3 

3,  Gluiml,  yutz  kin. 

4 

4 

4,  Manik,  yutz  kin. 

5 

5 

5,  Lamat.  yutz  kin. 

6 

G 

G,  Muluc,  yutz  kin. 

7 

7 

7,  Oc,  yutz  kin. 

8 

8 

8,  Chuen,  utz,  licil  u lubul  ha  hach  kaam  (heavy  rains). 

9 

9 

9.  Eb.  lob  c-a  cha  u kin  hai  (day  of  rain). 

10 

10 

10,  Been,  u lob  kin. 

11 

11 

11,  Hix,  yutz  kin. 

12 

12 

12,  Men,  yutz  kin. 

13 

13 

13,  Q.uib,  yutz  kin. 

14 

14 

1,  Caban,  yutz  kin. 

15 

15 

2,  Edznab.  yutz  kin. 

1G 

1G 

3,  Cauac,  yutz  kin. 

17 

17 

4.  Ahau,  utz  u yalcab  u kak  ahtoc  (licil  u zihil  cabnal) 

(good;  the  bee-hunter  is  bom ; the  burner  gives  scope 

to  the  fire). 

18 

18 

5,  Ymix,  u lob  kin. 

19 

19 

G,  Yk,  u lob  kin. 

20 

20 

7,  Akbal,  u lob  kin. 

21 

MOAN,  15TH  INDIAN  MONTH. 


Moan. 

Apri  1 . 

1 

8,  Kan,  lob,  licil  u cutal  Moan  (bad;  the  root  of  Moan.) 

9,  Chicchan,  u lob  kin.  ' 

22 

2 

23 

3 

10,  Q.uimi,  u lob  kin. 

24 

4 

11,  Manik,  u lob  kin. 

25 

5 

12.  Lamat,  u lob  kin. 

2G 

G 

13,  Muluc,  yutz  kin,  chac  ikal  (good ; a hurricane). 

27 

7 

1,  Oc,  u lob  kin. 

38 

8 

2,  Chuen,  u lob  kin,  u nuptun  cizin  oxppel  kin  ca  uchuc 
ppixich  chabtan  kini  (bad ; a day  of  temptation  ; three 

days  of  watching). 

29 

9 

3,  Eb,  lob  hun  chabtan  oxppel  akab  u ppixichlae,  u 
cappel  u kind  nuptun  cizin  ca  ppixichnac  uinic  ban- 
tu yoxppel  kind  xan  (bad ; a day  of  temptation  ; three 

days  of  watching), 

30 

10 

4,  Been,  yutz  u kin  u hai  (rain). 

May  1 

11 

5,  Hix,  u lob  kin. 

2 

12 

G.  Men,  u lob  kin. 

3 

13 

7,  GLuib,  u lob  kin  zutob  ti  kax  (bad  for  travellers). 

4 

14 

8,  Caban,  lob,  u tabal  u keban  yahanlil  cabob  (an  un- 

lucky  day ; the  sins  of  the  king  are  proved). 

5 

15 

9,  Edznab,  u lob  kin. 

G 

16 

10,  Cauac,  u lob  kin  ximxinbal  ti  kax  (bad  for  those 

who  walk). 

7 

17 

11,  Ahau,  u tup  kak  ahtoc,  lob  pazal  cehob  (the  burner 

puts  out  the  fire). 

8 

18 

12,  Ymix,  u lob  kin  ti  kuku  uincob  (bad  for  the  sacrifi- 

cers). 

9 

19 

13,  Yk,  utz  ti  yahanlil  cabob  (good  for  the  queen  bees). 

10 

20 

1,  Akbal,  utz  u kin  hai  (a  good  day  of  rain). 

11 

APPENDIX. 


457 


PAX,  16th  INDIAN  MONTH. 


Pax. 

May. 

i 

2,  Kan,  lob,  ti  batabob  licil  u cutal  Pax  (bad  for  the  ca- 

ciques ; the  beginning  of  Pax). 

12 

2 

3,  Chicchan,  lob  u cha  kak  ahtoc  iktan  yoluinici  (bad; 

the  burner  puts  out  the  fire). 

13 

3 

4,  Quimi,  u lob  kin,  licil  u ppixiehob  (bad;  a day  of 

watching). 

14 

4 

5,  Manik,  u lob  kin,  cup  ikal  (bad;  a great  and  suffoca- 

ting  heat). 

15 

5 

6,  Lamat,  u lob  kin. 

16 

6 

7,  Muluc,  u lob  kin. 

17 

7 

8,  Oc,  yutz  kin. 

18 

8 

9,  Chuen,  yutz  kin. 

19 

9 

10,  Eb,  yutz  kin  u xocol  yoc  kin  (the  days  of  the  sun 

are  reckoned). 

20 

10 

11,  Been,  u lob  kin. 

21 

11 

12,  Hix,  u lob  kin. 

22 

12 

13,  Men,  yutz  kin. 

23 

13 

1,  Q.uib,  u lob  kin. 

24 

14 

2,  Caban,  u lob  kin. 

25 

15 

3,  Edznab,  lob,  u lubul  hai  tu  kuch  haabil  Muluc  u cap- 
pel  yoc  uil)  bad ; year  of  Muluc ; second  day  of  plant- 

mg). 

26 

16 

4,  Cauac,  yutz  kin. 

27 

17 

5,  Ahau,  yutz  kin. 

28 

18 

6,  Ymix.  yutz  kin. 

29 

19 

7,  Yk,  yutz  kin,  u hoppol  hai  (it  rains). 

30 

20 

8,  Akbal,  u lob  kin. 

31 

KAYAB,  17th  INDIAN  MONTH. 


Kayab. 

June. 

1 

9,  Kan,  lob,  licil  u cutal  kayab  (bad;  the  beginning  of 

Kayab). 

1 

2 

10,  Chicchan,  lob,  u hoppol  u kak  ahtoc  (the  burner  be- 

gins). 

2 

3 

11,  Q.uimi,  u lob  kin. 

3 

4 

12,  Manik,  u lob  kin. 

4 

5 

13,  Lamat,  u lob  kin. 

5 

6 

1,  Muluc,  yutz  kin. 

6 

7 

2,  Oc,  u lob  kin. 

7 

8 

3,  Chuen,  u lob  kin. 

8 

9 

4,  Eb,  yutz  u kin  noh  hai  (heavy  rains). 

9 

10 

5,  Been,  u lob  kin. 

10 

11 

6,  Hix,  u lob  kin. 

11 

12 

7,  Men,  u lob  kin. 

12 

13 

8,  Q.uib,  u lob  kin. 

13 

14 

9,  Caban,  u lob  kin. 

14 

15 

10,  Edznab,  u lob  kin  thol  caan  chaac  (bad;  from  all 

parts). 

15 

16 

1 1 , Cauac,  u lob  kin,  mankin  ha  (daily  rains). 

16 

17 

12,  Ahau,  u lob  kin. 

17 

18 

13,  Ymix,  yutz  kin. 

18 

19 

1,  Yk,  yutz  kin. 

19 

20 

2,  Akbal,  yutz  kin. 

20 

39 


458 


APPENDIX. 


CUMKU,  18th  INDIAN  MONTH. 


Cumku. 

June. 

1 

3,  Kan,  utz,  ncil  u cutal  Cumku  (good;  beginning  of 

Cumkii). 

21 

2 

4,  Chicchan,  lob  kin,  yalcabu  kak  ahtoc  (bad;  the  burn- 

er  gives  scope  to  the  fire). 

22 

S 

5,  Gluimf,  u lob  kin. 

23 

4 

6,  Manik,  u lob  kin. 

24 

5 

7,  Lamat,  u lob  kin. 

25 

6 

8.  Muluc,  utz  u zian  ku  (a  day  to  attend  the  temple). 

26 

7 

9,  Oc,  yutz  kin. 

27 

8 

10,  Chuen,  u lob  kin. 

28 

9 

11,  Eb,  u lob  kin. 

29 

10 

12,  Been,  yutz  kin. 

30 

11 

13,  Hix,  u lob  kin. 

July  1 

12 

1,  Men,  u lob  kin. 

2 

13 

2,  Q.uib,  u lob  kin. 

3 

14 

3,  Caban,  utz  u kin  balam  haabil. 

4 

15 

4,  Edznab,  utz  ppixichnebal  ppolom  (the  traders  watch). 

5 

16 

5,  Cauac,  u lob  kin. 

6 

17 

6,  Ahau,  u lob  kin. 

7 

18 

7,  Ymix,  utz  u payalte  lae  oac  uinabal  uli. 

8 

19 

8,  Yk,  u lob  kin. 

9 

20 

9,  Akbal,  u lob  kin. 

10 

XMA  KABA  KIN,”  OR  INTERCALARY  DAYS. 


July. 

1 

10,  Kan,  yutz  kin,  u nay  eb  haab,  xma  kaba  kin  ca  cu- 

lac  u chun  haab  poop  (cradle  of  the  year,  &c.). 

11 

2 

11,  Chicchan,  u lob  kin,  u tup  kak  ahtoc  (the  burner 

puts  out  the  fire). 

12 

3 

12,  Gtiumf,  u lob  kin. 

13 

4 

13,  Manik,  utz  u tial  sabal  ziil  (to  make  presents). 

14 

5 

1,  Lamat,  yutz  kin. 

15 

The  next  year  would  commence  with  2 Muluc,  the  following  one  with 
3 Hix,  the  fourth  year  with  4 Cauac,  the  fifth  with  5 Kan ; and  so  on  con- 
tinually, until  the  completion  of  the  13  numbers  of  the  week  of  years, 
which  commences  with  the  day  Kan;  after  which  the  weeks  of  Muluc, 
Hix,  and  Cauac  follow,  in  such  manner  that,  after  the  lapse  of  52  years,  the 
week  of  years  again  begins  with  1 Kan,  as  in  the  preceding  almanac.  Re- 
specting the  bissextile,  I have  already  manifested  my  opinion  in  the  chro- 
nology of  the  Indians. 

The  translation  of  the  names  of  the  months  and  days  is  not  as  easy  as  it 
would  appear,  because  some  are  not  at  present  in  use,  and  others,  again, 
from  the  different  meanings  attached  to  them,  and  from  the  want  of  their 
true  pronunciation,  cannot  be  correctly  understood ; however,  be  this  as  it 
may,  I shall  endeavour  to  decipher  them  as  nearly  as  possible,  and  accord- 
ing to  the  present  state  of  the  language,  beginning  with  the  months. 

1.  Pop,  mat  of  cane.  2.  Uo,  frog.  3.  Zip,  a tree.  4.  Zodz,  a bat.  5.  Zee, 
obsolete.  G.  Xul,  end  or  conclusion.  7.  Dzeyaxkin;  I know  not  its  significa- 
tion, although  the  meaning  of  yaxkin  is  summer.  8.  Mol,  to  reunite.  9. 


APPENDIX. 


459 


Chen,  a well.  10.  Yax,  first,  or  Yaax,  green  or  blue,  though,  as  the  following 
month  is  Zac , white,  I believe  this  should  be  Yaax.  11.  Zac,  white.  12. 
Q,uez,  a deer.  13.  Mac,  a lid  or  cover.  14.  Kankin,  yellow  sun,  perhaps 
because  in  this  month  of  April  the  atmosphere  is  charged  with  smoke ; 
owing  to  the  woods  being  cut  down  and  burned,  the  light  of  the  sun  is 
darkened,  and  at  5 P.M.  it  appears  red  and  throws  but  little  light.  15.  Moan, 
antiquated,  and  its  signification  forgotten.  16.  Pax,  any  instrument  of 
music.  17.  Kayab,  singing.  18.  Cumkfi,  a thunder-clap,  or  noise  like  the 
report  of  a cannon,  which  is  heard  in  the  woods  while  the  marshes  are  dry- 
ing, or  from  some  other  cause.  Uayebhaab,  Xma  kaba  kin,  which  signifies 
bed,  or  chamber  of  the  year,  or  days  without  name,  were  the  appellations 
given  to  the  intercalary  days,  as  they  appertained  to  no  month  to  which  a 
name  was  given. 

Translation  of  the  20  Days. 

1.  Kan,  string  or  yam  of  twisted  hemp  ; it  also  means  anything  yellow, 
or  fruit  and  timber  proper  for  cutting.  2.  Chicchan,  obsolete ; if  it  is  Chi- 
chan,  it  signifies  small  or  little.  3.  Q,uimi,  or  Cimi,  death  or  dead.  4. 
Manik,  obsolete,  but  if  the  word  may  be  divided,  it  would  signify  wind 
that  passes ; for  Man  is  to  pass,  to  buy,  and  ik  is  wind.  5.  Lamat,  obsolete, 
not  understood.  6.  Muluc,  obsolete ; although,  should  it  be  the  primitive  ot 
mulucbal,  it  will  signify  reunion.  7.  Oc,  that  which  may  be  held  in  the 
palm  of  the  hand.  8.  Chuen,  disused ; some  say  it  is  equivalent  to  board. 
9.  Eb,  ladder.  10.  Been,  obsolete.  11.  Hix,  not  used,  although,  combined 
with  others,  it  signifies  roughness,  as  in  Hixcay,  rasp,  Hihixci,  rough.  12. 
Men,  builder.  12.  Quib,  or  Cib,  wax  or  gum  copal.  14.  Caban,  obsolete. 
15.  Edznab,  obsolete.  16.  Cauac,  disused,  although  it  appears  to  be  the 
word  cacau.  17.  Ahau,  king,  or  period  of  24  years ; the  day  in  which  this 
period  commenced,  and  therefore  they  called  it  Ahau  Katun.  18.  Ymix, 
obsolete ; although  it  appears  to  be  the  same  as  Yxim,  com  or  maize.  19. 
Yk,  wind.  20.  Akbal,  word  disused  and  unknown. 

This  is  the  signification  given  to  those  days. 

Peto,  14th  April , 1842. 


END  OP  VOL.  I. 


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